Pandora Hearts: Hmm
by The Jashinist and Peeves
Summary: Well, Vincent hates Annie, and as a result Annie's afraid of him. Cat's outta the bag. Hehe. Cat. GilxOC pairing, later maybe OzxAlice pairing…
1. Meeting Annie part 1

_Hmm… What the hey it's a fanfic!_

_Okay first off I'm writing this on my sis's account so if you look it over and think: 'OMG, this totally isn't her style', for one thing I AM NOT THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT! No I'm an intruder… not a hacker, just a borrower… anywho, my sis likes making Naruto fanfics… and nothing else. I don't like Naruto… I like Pandora Hearts, Nabari, RPG games and Bleach beats Naruto! The artwork's better and people don't drop off like flies in it… I also like anything by CLAMP or Hayao Miyasaki. Now this, this is a Pandora Hearts fanfic I've had in my head for a while. I have a sort of… infatuation with Gil/Raven. In my opinion, he's the best male character (cuz he's so totally sexy). However, no matter how many times I try to picture him with a girl character… it doesn't work. So… I made one up. Yes this is one of those creepy romance fanfics. I'll try to make sure the ideas aren't too scary. Oh and as an FYI: this fanfic is set in pre-Pandora Hearts period. It's quite simply pushed completely out of the story timeline I know of so it… could be possible. Hey I have a right to wish right? Anywho:_

Chapter 1:

This story begins in a slum. It's been four years since Oz was thrown into the Abyss and Gil was adopted by the Nightrays. But Gil's not happy. Gil is depressed, walking down an alley in the slums, wondering why he deserves anything more than the people around him. Gil thinks about how he was forced to attack Oz, and how he joined the Nightray's household mere days after the incident.

"I betrayed him", Gil mutters to himself, "I don't even deserve to live, do I?"

Gil feels for his gun and makes sure it's loaded. He continues walking towards nowhere, wallowing in his self-pity and self-inflicted agony. But he won't have to endure this much longer, he thinks. Gil begins to quicken his pace. He wants to get home quickly, so he can lock himself in one of many private rooms and shoot himself. He stops for a second and soaks in what he believes to be his last few breathes and thinks about how he's going to kill himself.

_I could just pull out the gun and do it right here, couldn't I? I mean, it's not like its important where I'm dying, is it?_ Gil watches the steam of his breath rise above the dirty streets. He had barely noticed the cold a second ago. Now the icy temperature was quite clear as it stung at his fingers and face. Snow slowly fell around him and tried to gather on the street, though it was never really beautiful here, once they reached the streets the little white flakes blackened from the dirt on the road. Gil begins walking again but something catches his eye and he stops again.

_Did that rag pile just move?_Gil thinks. He turns back to the so-called "rag pile" and stares at it for a second. It's shivering.

_Alright, last time I checked, rag piles don't shiver_, he thinks. Gil looks a bit closer only to find that this rag pile is a young girl not much younger than himself, and unlike him, she would eventually freeze to death. Gil, who is surprisingly still humane, starts to freak out.

Here's a sample of his thought process roughly 30 seconds before he decides what to do about the young girl: _What to do, what to do, Gil you know you're really an idiot for stopping to notice this. Okay I bet tons of other girls are freezing on the street right now, why should I help this one? Because I'm standing right in front of her! I don't want to feel bad I sit there and do nothing! Come on, you're planning to shoot yourself when you get home, I'm sure it won't matter too much. Why don't I just give her my coat? After all if I'm dead I won't need it. Okay, good idea. Now I won't feel any more wretched when I kill myself tonight._

Gil begins to take off his coat as the freezing cold bites his skin through his shirt. But he pays no mind to it as he puts his coat around the young girl.

"Here", he says to her, "I won't be needing it anymore." Gil begins walking again, this time, towards the Nightray estate, content that even if he wasn't happy he was at least able to do one thing right.

**INTERRUPTING AUTHOR'S NOTE: okay, unlike the other short story I used this in I won't role-play as any of the characters unless I warn you first. This first section, in itself is a warning. We're about to change points of view. Unlike before, where the narrator (me) followed Gil around, now it's gonna follow the "rag pile girl". She does have a name, and her name is Annie. Now I bet you all expect Annie to be very vulgar and possibly stupid but Annie is actually a well-educated girl from a modern dimension like ours. So she is vulgar, it's just not because she was raised in a slum. Anywho, back to the story.**

"What. The. Fuck", Annie mutters. Where other people would have been happy that this idiot gave her his coat, Annie's pissed. "If I had wanted to goddamn stay alive I would go home to my freaking heated estate of twerpy know-it-all brats. Jeezus, did he even pay attention to DETAILS? It's not like I was attempting to get warm, was I?" Annie gets up and starts walking in the direction of the idiot. She had noticed that he had a gun and was sure that, with the words he said to her, that he plans to shoot himself when he gets to where he's going.

"If that bastard is gonna ruin my suicide I'm gonna fucking ruin his!" Annie mutters. Judging by the coat he threw to her, he's a depressed brat from a wealthy family, most likely the Nightrays. Annie finally catches up to her idiot.

"Hey!" she yells to him. The idiot turns around, obviously surprised. And Annie finds herself surprised too. Before her is the guilty party, a tall boy no older than 18, with extremely wavy and messy black hair cut just above the shoulder in the longest parts but too messy to have an actual length. His eyes are definitely interesting though. They're, well, gold, bright and deep with what she knew to be self-inflicted sorrow, Annie is very aware that this boy is naturally breath taking.

_Good Lord, of all the people for me to be "saved" by did it have to be a HOT guy?_Annie thinks to herself.

"Um…" the idiot begins, "is there a reason you followed me?" Now Annie's crying inside.

_OMG, even his voice is totally sexy!_She thinks. _… Oh well._

"Yeah actually", Annie says, "when do you want me to give this back to you, cuz I sorta have a spot in that alley waiting for me."

_CHANGE IN POINT OF VIEW! BTW: for now in Gil's POV, Annie is "rag pile girl", and in Annie's POV, Gil is the "uber sexy depressed idiot"._

Gil wears a look of surprise as this something he would have never expected, "G-give it back?" Gil stutters. "But… you can keep it. You don't have to… g-give it back."

The rag pile girl sighs. "Just tell me when I need to hand it off, 'kay Mr. Nightray?"

"Honestly, keep it… wait how'd you know I'm from the Nightray household?" Gil asks.

"They're the ones who love black the most, and I haven't seen a single depressed Rainsworth or Vessalius yet. And the fourth duke is never out and about so I'm sure you're not him."

"Well okay, but I swear you can keep the coat."

Rag pile girl groans. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this."

"What?" Gil asks.

"Com'ere."

"Why?"

"I gotta tell you something."

"What?"

"Come a bit closer… closer… closer…"

*THUNK*

Gil falls back onto the ground almost immediately. He feels for the throbbing lump where rag pile girl's fist made contact with his unprepared head. Now Gil's extremely confused. He looks up at rag pile girl. She definitely doesn't look like a rag pile anymore. She's more like a prettier younger version of Sharon. He hadn't really noticed that she was pretty before. Rag pile girl has long straight jet black hair, and cold sky-blue eyes that drill into him with a slight rage.

"What was that for?" Gil asks.

Rag pile girl looks at him scornfully. "You're a really big idiot you know that right?"

"What?"

"Get the fuck up, you bastard."

"Why the hell should I listen to you?"

"You want another bruise to go with the first one?"

Gil reluctantly obeys rag pile girl. "There, happy?" Gil says.

Rag pile girl doesn't reply. "Take out your gun and shoot that tree six times."

"Why the hell would I-"

"Just shoot the goddamn tree already!"

Gil, who would prefer not taking his chances further angering a mini Sharon, pulls out his gun and shoots the tree six times. _All I have to do is listen to her, and then I can refill my gun and shoot myself when I get home,_ he thinks.

Gil sighs. "There I shot the tree now will you—hey, wait! How did you…?"

Gil doesn't know how she did it but somehow his ammunition belt is slung around rag pile girl's right shoulder.

"Good, now you can't shoot yourself when you get home", rag pile girl says in possibly the most apathetic voice in the world. "I'll trade you this for the coat." Rag pile girl throws Gil's coat back to him. "I wouldn't want the hand-me-downs of a depressed brat like you anyway." She begins to walk away.

"WAIT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" Gil yells to her.

Rag pile girl continues walking but looks back at him. "Have you lost your ears somewhere? I already told you, there's a spot back in that alley waiting for me!" And she was gone.

—A bit later that evening—

Gil's not sure what to do anymore. A mere half hour ago he wouldn't have thought twice about it. Suicide. An ugly word, if anything, an ugly concept that people use as a lousy escape method. He thinks of doing it too, but every time he puts the gun to his head he thinks of that girl and the anger in her eyes. He's confused by it. Every moment he thinks again and again and he doesn't understand. How did she know? He lies on the bed in a spare room of the Nightray estate. He's trying desperately to figure her out. That girl saw right through him. Maybe it was what he said when he gave the coat to her.

_Even so, she was freezing to death, why would it matter?_ Gil thinks. He sits up abruptly. She was freezing to death when he saw her. He breathes heavily as the atmosphere is suddenly much thicker than before. She hadn't been there because she had no choice. She had wanted to die. Gil still doesn't understand why she saved him. Right now, Gil doesn't care. All he can feel is his own fear. He feels it surge through his veins as he screams through the front door. He feels it overwhelm him as he sprints towards that alley. It's with him every second as he rushes towards that pale face that caught the sky and prays to every god he knows that she's still breathing.

*to be continued*

_I'm finally publishing the first chapter ^^. I promise there will be more to come. Please leave a comment! I will answer any and all questions in time but if you have nothing nice to say then GET OUT. I don't want you. Thank you for any support I do get ^^._


	2. Meeting Annie part 2

_Hmm... I don't know what to name this fanfic yet...  
Yay! It's the second chapter! I apologize if people thought that last little paragraph was way too serious. On another note, considering that my sis didn't know what the phrase "pale face that caught the sky" meant, I'll tell you people so you aren't confused. Annie has blue eyes and pale skin. That's pretty much it. It's just a fancy romantic way of saying it. You know, capture the moment, build the suspense. Then leave you on a cliffhanger =3. You probably already know the outcome by now so let's get on with it! Btw: this chapter starts from Annie's point of view.  
_Chapter 2:  
It's dark where Annie is right now. She wants to believe she's in hell where she thinks she belongs, however this isn't the case. Annie knows that. She knows she's dreaming. She knows that somewhere in the real world, her body's still busy dying. She's scared though. Something isn't right. She feels warm but the air is cold. She starts walking, and suddenly she's fully aware of where she is.

"Of all the goddamn places for my last dream to be it had to be here didn't it? Le' see, voices in 5-4-3-2-"

"What a worthless child," a cold voice sprang from the dark.

"An absolute atrocity don't you agree? It shouldn't even deserve to live," another voice calls out.

"It's a disgrace. A seer, yet unable to see the truth when she needs it." says another.

Annie winces, but keeps moving. "I won't change my loyalties for you bastards."

"Naomi's gone, Annie. It's not your fault it's hers. She doesn't trust you, Annie. Forget her."

"Never."

"Would you truly die for another's mistake?"

"She's not why I'm dying, you assholes."

"Then why?"

Annie stops walking. She's kept her eyes closed until now, but she opens them. She's in front of a mirror, but her reflection's not the least bit important. What's behind it is. She turns around only to see an image of girl she knows too well, one with short blonde hair, tanned skin and deep blue-green eyes that hold an ocean. The room is warm now; the girl shines like the sun and spreads light across everything. She smiles but her smile lacks happiness.

"I'm sorry, Annie," she whispers. "Goodbye."

And suddenly the girl and the light are gone and the darkness comes quickly spreading like a flood of cold and sadness. Annie is terrified now.

"No," she murmurs. "Wait", she says. "Come back", she cries. The flood rushes in faster and stronger and Annie is sure she'll drown. She's afraid. It shouldn't end like this. This isn't right. Where is she? Where is home? Annie's heart feels as if a hole was ripped out and the pain crawls into her lungs and screams through her throat.

"NAOMI!"

Gil's becoming slightly impatient now. Though he's glad he found rag pile girl alive, it's nearly midnight and she's still unconscious. It's been seven hours since he first saw her on the street, and roughly six hours and fifteen minutes since he went back to get her. It's been five and a half hours since the doctor confirmed that that the cold wouldn't be a threat to her life, but the wet-state of her clothing might. It's been four hours since she was finally was put in the bed behind him and covered as many bed sheets as he could find. Gil's tired of waiting. He walks over to the bed behind him and sits next to her. It seems that did the trick, because suddenly her eyes are wide open. She sits up quickly and looks around.

"Aww, fuck," she says. "Wake me up when I'm in hell."

Gil isn't surprised by this. "So you did wanna die, huh?"

"Oh good God, please tell me this isn't happening. I asked for a death bed, not ending up in someone else's bed."

"Well I'm not God but... I can tell you that you are alive and that this isn't my bed and I'm not that desperate."

"Hmm. Nice to know. Why the hell am I here?"

"Because I brought you here."

"No shit, Sherlock. Why the fuck am I in your house in someone else's bed and when did you go from emo to creeper?"

"You ruined my suicide, I'll ruin yours. And my name is not Sherlock."

Rag pile girl sits up and looks at Gil. It's sort of strange looking into her eyes, he thinks. It's different from before. Earlier she was angry. Now she's simply exasperated.

"That so, huh? Well it's nice to meet you, Not-Sherlock. My name's Annie," she says sarcastically.

Gil smacks his head into his hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Annie, but my name isn't Not-Sherlock either, it's Gilbert."

"I know that, Gil. I just wanted to see if you'd actually smack yourself for it."

Gil smiles to himself for the first time in four years, but he's still not sure what to do. It's obvious that Annie doesn't know either.

"Soo...", she begins, "what now?"

"I honestly don't know." Gil answers.

"Did you really save me on just a moment's thought?"

"Yes, actually."

"Ya know, for a second I was thinking that you weren't an idiot, but I've changed my mind."

"Why thank you."

"Maybe we can go back to committing suicide."

Gil looks straight at Annie, astounded that she would even suggest it. "After everything I did to make sure you're alright? No way in hell."

"Oooo, were you worried?"

"Shut up for a second."

"Jeezus, fine."

Gil attempts to conjure up every question he had wanted to ask her while she had slept so contently earlier. He could only think of one, but what the heck, at least it was a good question.

"Why were you letting yourself freeze to death, Annie?" Gil asks.

Annie sighs and begins rocking back and forth like a young child. "Tough question."

"Can you not answer it?"

"Nah, I can answer it I'm just thinking of a good way to do so." Annie abruptly stops rocking back and forth and puts her head in her hands. "She... always liked the snow," Annie murmurs, "She loved the way it sparkled in the sunlight, she even loved how cold it was; she was always saying that even beautiful things need flaws. I... thought that maybe if I froze in the snow, I'd be able to remember all the great times we had spent together, with all of our other friends."

Gil nods his head as if he understands. In truth, he doesn't. He doesn't understand at all. Her master, maybe? Was she a servant in a past life like him?

"So", Gil begins asking, "this girl... she's your master?"

"No", Annie says quite bluntly.

"Then who is she?"

"You're really stupid, aren't you? She's my best friend."

"So she's gone, huh?"

"Yup. Now what's your sob story? Why were you gonna kill yourself?"

"I felt worthless."

"Wow, nice reason. That all?"

"No."

"Then what else?"

"My master was thrown into The Abyss four years ago."

"Hold up you're the son of Duke Nightray. How could you have been a servant?"

"I was adopted. I served the Bezarious household beforehand."

"Oh. So I'm guessing your master is the late Oz Bezarious?"

"He's not dead, he's in The Abyss."

"That creepy place with the Chains?"

"Yes."

"So you're dying because he's stuck there?"

"No, I wanted to die because I betrayed him."

"Huh?"

"The Nightray household and Bezarious household are enemies."

"Oh. Huh. So why'd you let them adopt you?"

"The Nightrays own a chain that can build a path to the Abyss."

"So that's all you're here for?"

"Yes."

"Hm." Annie yawns and rubs her eyes. "I don't understand you at all," Annie murmurs.

"Nor do I understand you," Gil replies. 'This is getting nowhere', he thinks. "Okay I have a suggestion", he announces.

"Uh-oh", Annie says playfully.

"You aren't going to let me shoot myself, are you?"

"Not unless you let me freeze to death."

"And I won't, so since we're preventing each other from suicide, why don't I hire you as my 'servant'?"

"That sounded ultra-creepy."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't boss you around."

"Even creepier."

"Get your goddamn mind out of the gutter, I would never ask a woman- or young girl -to be my prostitute!"

"That doesn't make it uncreepy and relax; I'm only playing with your weak brain."

"Thanks, you're so compassionate."

"I know. So you want me to act as your personal servant and prevent you from committing suicide?"

"Yes!"

"Fine. But I don't have to call you master, do I?"

"No. Not at all."

"Good. Because I would kiss a chimp before calling you master."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Where am I sleeping?"

"Right where you are."

"You aren't joining me."

"I know, I'm sleeping on the couch."

"Wait, hold the phone, you're my boss, why are you on the couch?"

"Because I don't feel like moving you", Gil yawns. He's tired of pretending that he's not tired. "Good night, Annie," he says smiling. "See you in the morning."

"Yeah," Annie mumbles as she crawls back under the covers," 'night, see you tomorrow."

**INTERRUPTING AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi! Like it so far? I hope so, cuz I don't feel like dealing with haters right now. IF THERE ARE SOME HATERS HERE THEN GET YOUR ASSES OFF MY FANFIC! I DON'T FREAKING WANT TO DEAL WITH YOU RIGHT NOW! Anywho, there are some new characters coming in. Le' see, there's Break, Vincent, and Elliot, coming up. And it's gonna go from each of their POVs in that order. You'll see why in a little bit. Back to the story!**

Break's not expecting what will happen. Of course, deep down he knows that more than a couple of his creepish behaviorisms will eventually screw him. But right now, he's quite... determined to scare the crap out of Gil when he wakes up in the morning.

"Heeheehee, Gil's funny when he's scared. It's sorta cute that he doesn't know how to handle himself," Break whispers cheerfully, "I'll just sneak into that spare room he slept in last night..."

Break makes it through the locked door (somehow) and sneaks under the bed of his unsuspecting victim. But Break isn't yet aware that his victim isn't Gil. Break waits in excitement as he pictures Gil's face when he pops out from under the bed with a crooked grin reaching from one side of his face to the next. The body in the bed above him begins shifting and he prepares to scare the just awoken "Gil".

Break puts on his crooked smile and pops out from under the bed.

"Eek!" cries a voice as a small foot tries to kick Break's face. As a quick escape, Break slips back under the bed and comes out on the other side.

"Aww," Emily whines, "Gil's not here."

Break looks at the little doll on his shoulder. "Why, yes, yes, Emily, you're right. This certainly isn't Gil." Break looks at the owner of the small foot that attempted to kick him. Sitting in the bed is a small girl roughly two years younger than Gill, with long black hair resting on her head, and lively sky blue eyes staring at Break with a look of…confusion.

"Who the hell are you and why were you under this freaking bed?" the girl asks.

"Ah, well see, I could ask you that," Break states cheerfully. "Tell me, are you Gil's new girlfriend or are you only here for the night?"

"I think she's just here for the night," Emily concludes, "No girl could ever handle Gil's downfalls."

"Why, of course, Emily, you're right! Gil's funny, but I can't imagine any girl in their right mind dating him! So-so, she must be leaving soon; I wonder where Gil is…I really wanted to scare him, hm?"

During his little speech about Gil, Break had barely noticed the movements of the girl. She's off the bed now and walking towards him with a large hard cover book in her hand.

"So," she begins, "you've decided to make me Gil's whore, huh?" Nothing I hate more than a creeper, but you may be the exception, any person with that disgusting mug could push me to my limit."

Break feels a chill run down his spine. This girl's temper is worse than Sharon's, a sort of "No crap taken" attitude.

"You really shouldn't have said that, ya know," the girl says almost sweetly. "I'll make sure you regret calling me the entertainment of that idiot."

Vincent is worried. He paces up and down the space of hallway that held the spare room his older brother had slept in last night. Something about Gil hadn't seemed right this morning. He hadn't seen Gil come in last night.

"Did he try to avoid me last night?" Vincent murmurs worriedly. Vincent's tired of waiting for Gil to meet him as he said he would. He needs to see what's beyond this spare room door. He observes the door from top to bottom. It's locked from the outside for whatever reason.

Vincent unlocks the door and wrenches it open, only to stop dead in the entrance. – Now, for those of you who don't know it, Vincent has a very dirty, warped mind-. Sitting at the end of the bed is a young girl around his age pouting as she plays with Gil's hat. The only thing that made it worse is that she's wearing one of Gil's nightshirts (don't judge, she needed something to wear). The girl seems upset to Vincent.

"…lock me in this stupid room? Jesus, would it kill him to let me walk around a bit? There better be a good reason cuz I…hm?" The girl stops pouting and ranting and looks over to the doorway where Vincent is standing. "Who're you?" she asks bluntly. Vincent doesn't answer this. Actually, something has suddenly clicked inside Vincent's brain and he has made the conclusion as to who or what the girl is. He won't express it well, though.

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-whore!" Vincent shrieks.

"Say what?" the girl looks annoyed now.

"You…! Gil… I can't believe he would hire such an ugly whore!" Vincent stammers. "Get out, you piece of dirt! Take you and your filth back to the brothel!"

The girl sighs. She picks up a large hardcover book sitting next to her, stands up, and starts walking towards him. Vincent gulps as he realizes his conclusion might have been slightly incorrect.

"You know," the girl begins, "I don't know what sort of reputation Gil won with his friends and family but if it makes me his pretty little prostitute I don't want to know."

"Wha…?"

"Sorry sweetie, I'm not Gil's prostitute. I can tell you really love him so you can keep him, but first you're taking a nap."

Elliot can't care less what Gil had to show him. To him it probably isn't important. He has at least taken it better than Vincent, who refused to go out to the market with them, saying he had something to do. Elliot does have a few ideas as to what Gil was trying to hide. At the market, Gil had bought tea, and then randomly bought ribbons and a small simple dress at the tailor's. Then at the cobbler, he bought girl's boots. Elliot has ultimately concluded that Gil can't hide anything for his life.

Elliot tries to catch up to Gil. He's quite a bit shorter than his brother so it's hard to keep up, and Gil's so worried that he's practically sprinting. Elliot starts running but to no avail, there's no catching Gil.

"Gil! Wait up! You're moving too fast!" Elliot yells in frustration.

"Hm?" Gil says as if he'd just woken up. Elliot finally catches up to him.

"Jesus, Gil", Elliot pants, "Where the hell is your brain today?"

"Um", Gil ponders, "I think it's in my head. Why do you ask?"

Elliot smacks himself in the forehead. "It's obviously not! You almost lost me in this crowd of stupid peasants because you were unconscious and moving at the speed of a small horse!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Oh. Sorry."

"Augh! Why did we have to walk anyway?"

"The market's not that far from the estate, there's no point in taking a carriage."

"But I didn't feel like walking!"

"You don't always get to be a spoiled brat." Gil groans. "Come on, we're off-schedule."

"Since when was there a schedule?" Elliot asks in confusion.

"Since I made one, now come on."

Elliot walks quickly behind his older brother. He wonders why Gil is so stressed; it was unlike him to care about anything besides his late Master Oz. Elliot has always detested the amount of superiority that Bezarious boy took up in Gil's mind. He's sort of glad that something could worry Gil so much that he'd unconsciously rush back to an estate Elliot knew he loathed. But Elliot does want him to slow down now. He's been reduced to sprinting after his older brother.

Elliot and Gil make it back to the estate in record time, and by that time Elliot's legs are aching and heavy and his throat burns from his labored breathing. It's no surprise to Elliot that the maids noticed his exhausted state.

"Oh my, we've had quite a day already now haven't we, Master Elliot?" one the maid comments. "Just what were you doing with this poor boy, Master Gil?"

Gil looks at Elliot. It's obvious that he's only just realized how tired Elliot is. "Oh, did I make you run again? Sorry", Gil says bluntly.

"Sorry? SORRY?" Elliot is furious. "You should be more than sorry! You should be ashamed for exhausting me this way! You're a disgrace to the Nightray family, no; you're a disgrace to human society! NO ONE LOVES YOU!"

"Well if you can still yell at me like that then I guess you're okay", Gil mumbles. "In any case, I have somewhere to be, so if you still feel like coming you can tag along."

"Who would ever want to spend time with you?!"

"—he says as he begins walking behind me once more."

"Shut up!"

Gil smirks and begins walking up the stairs towards his final destination. Elliot follows him, still insanely curious about Gil's strange behavior. They travel two flights of stairs into the estate, and Elliot is still running behind Gil. Elliot's thinking of how he wants to scold Gil, when suddenly bumps into Gil, who has abruptly frozen solid in the middle of the hallway.

"Gil…?" Elliot asks. He looks ahead to see a spare room door open and slightly damaged.

"This is bad", Gil murmurs, "Why is the door open?" Gil is suddenly running and Elliot stumbles to catch up with him. Elliot sprints into the room and find exactly what he was expecting… almost. Lounging on the bed in the room is a girl around Vincent's age playing with Gil's hat.

"Thank God", Gil sighs.

Elliot looks at Gil in confusion. "Were you really only worried about your new whore?"

Annie has had enough. Two guys around her age assuming the worst of her is bad enough but a little kid? That's too much. But instead of punishing the twerp, she's decided to punish the ultimate culprit. Annie takes her new best friend* and throws it at Gil. Unlike his idiot friends Gil's fast enough to duck.

"Okay…" Gil says as he pops up again with the book, "If that was because of what he said then I promise you I did not teach him that word."

Annie isn't satisfied. She picks up another hardcover book and silently threatens to throw it at him.

Gil tries to bargain with her again. "And I didn't say that about you either. Now can you pleas e stop trying to give people concussions with Pride and Prejudice and Finnegan's Wake?"

Annie puts the book down and strides over to Gil, still very unsatisfied.

"I'd really like to know why all your friends and relatives that I've met so far think I trade in flesh!" Annie hisses as she repeatedly pokes Gil in the chest.

"You met more?" Gil replies in astonishment. Annie's amazed by his ignorance. She walks up to the closet where she stuffed the creeper and what she thought to be Gil's wife and let them out. Gil's face goes from confused to frantic.

"H-How'd they get in here?" Gil stutters.

"I don't know how the creeper got in but your wife is the one who wrenched the door open", Annie says in exasperation. Suddenly the twerp bursts out laughing and Gil seems slightly frozen.

"She… thought… Vincent… was a girl!" the twerp says between fits of laughter.

"Um, Annie? The blonde one's my brother Vincent", Gil stammers.

"Your brother?" Annie asks.

"Yeah"

Annie walks over to "Gil's wife", or rather, Vincent. It did look sort of manly. "So that's who it is", she murmurs softly.

"Did you really think he was my wife?" Gil inquires.

"Yeah, but I was sorta wondering why any girl would ever want you."

"Thanks"

"You're very welcome. Who's the twerp?"

"He's—" Gil starts to say when he abrubtly yelps in pain. He turns to face the twerp, who had kicked him in the shin a few seconds before. "That hurt!" he whines.

"Your stupid whore doesn't need to know who I am", the twerp snaps, "Now get her out of here before I tell Father that you've been messing with ugly peasants."

Annie snaps and launches herself at the twerp only to be caught by Gil.

"Let me go! I'll skin him alive!" Annie shrieks.

"Stop squirming", Gil sighs. He turns to the twerp and flicks him in the forehead.

"Ow!" the twerp whines.

"Don't ever tell me what to do, Elliot. And Annie is not something I bought off the street", Gil says sternly.

"Then who is she, Gilbert?" a voice sprang up from behind them. Gil begins to turn around and Annie finally breaks loose from his grip.

"Don't kill Elliot please", Gil whispers.

"Oh don't worry", Annie mumbles, "I'm more worried about that thing."

The creeper had come to.

Gil has been worrying about introducing Annie to his family all day. Now he's faced with the problem of explaining her to Break, Vincent, and Elliot, who already have their own awful assumptions about her. Gil sighs. He dreads having to tell them about last night.

"Well…—'

"Wait one second, Gil", Break interrupts him, "Let me wake up little Vincent first."

"We've been waiting to scare someone for hours", Emily adds.

Gil groans and turns to Annie. She's busy staring daggers into Break. "Annie", Gil addresses her.

"Hm?" Annie breaks her death stare at break and turns to him in question. He hands her the paper bag he had used to carry her new dress and shoes.

"Go get dressed. Oh and once you're done can you make us some tea?"

"What's the magic word?"

"Please?"

"That was weak, but okay." Annie leaves to change and Gil is glad that she won't be around for most of the explanation.

"UAAAHHHH!" Vincent yelps as Break succeeds in scaring him half to death.

"Big brother help! Save me from the man with the scary face!" Vincent whines as he runs to Gil. Gil groans and Annie's head pops into the doorway for a split second.

"I knew he was gay!"

"Out, Annie."

"Okay, okay." Annie leaves again and Gil turns to Vincent, who's hugging him so tightly he could crack ribs.

"Vince that hurts", Gil stutters, but Vincent won't let go.

"I had this awful dream, Big brother", Vincent rambles, having obviously not heard or seen Annie yet, "There was a whore in your bedroom and she was wearing your nightshirt and I was only trying to put her in her place and she hit me, can you believe that?"

"Yes", Break and Elliot say in unison.

"Well, I… hate… to… say… this… but…" Gil chokes out**.

"It wasn't a dream", Break and Elliot finish simultaneously.

Vincent turns to Break and Gil gasps for air.

"Don't be silly, such a wretched thing couldn't actually exist", Vincent scoffs and Annie's head pops out yet again.

"Oh? Is my wretched existence ruining your lame one? So-rry."

"Annie!" Gil yells.

"I'm going, I'm going."

Vincent freezes and turns slowly towards the door where Annie had just disappeared.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh-she…!" Vincent stutters.

"Exists", Break and Elliot finish.

"And she isn't a prostitute", Gil adds.

"So who is she?" Elliot inquires.

"Um", Gil says as he thinks of a way to explain the events of the night before. "Would you believe me if I said I tried to shoot myself last night?"

"Yes", Break and Elliot say bluntly.

"You thought of committing suicide last night? Oh, poor Gil, please don't leave me!" Vincent whines. "You know you'll always have me, right?"

"Yeah… I guess I just wasn't thinking about it at the time…" Gil mumbles softly. _If Vincent was the only thing I had to live for I would have killed myself a long time ago_ he thinks. Maybe his lack of sincerity is too obvious because Annie pops in again, this time fully dressed.

"You're lying through your teeth on that one."

"Thank you for helping, Annie", Gil replies.

"You're welcome. Where's the tea-making thingies?"

"In the closet I think."

"Okay." Annie goes to the closet and looks for her "tea-making thingies".

Break and Elliot look at Annie then back at Gil. "What do your suicidal tendencies have to do with that?" They ask while nodding towards Annie.

"I can answer that one! Ooo found it!" a muffled call comes from the closet. A series of crashes and loud thumps proceed from the closet and in the end Annie's head pops out of the closet. "Gil, I can't reach the tea-making thingies. Can you help?"

Gil groans. "Fine. But I'm not going to do this all the time." Gil goes to the closet and gets the tea set. "Put your hair back before making the tea, okay?" he whispers to Annie. She nods and takes the tea set over to a table. She turns back to Gil.

"You don't mind if I take over the explanation, do you?" Annie asks. Gil shakes his head.

"Okay", she starts, "Gil went for a walk down an alley where I was trying to freeze to death. He saves me, and tries to walk back here. I follow him, force him to empty his gun, steal his ammunition belt and give him his coat back. He thinks about suicide a little bit longer and then comes back to ruin my suicide. Didja get all that?"

"You explained that way better than I would have", Gil mutters under his breath. "Okay finish making the tea please Annie." Annie turns back to the tea set and looks at Gil.

"Hair tie?" she asks.

"Ribbon", he answers and hand her one of the ribbons he bought. He turns back to his brothers and Break. They've moved to be standing near each other. Break and Elliot look at each other then back at Gil.

"So you're both crazy and suicidal", they say.

"Don't you dare group me with him, I actually had a plan for dying, he was just going on a moment's thought", Annie yells back to them. Break and Elliot simply shrug, but after hearing about last night from Annie, Vincent has gone into a state of slight vegetation.

-Fifteen minutes to a half hour later-

"I'm done with the tea", Annie says, "But I guess there's one extra, so I'll take it." She steps over Vincent and pushes out the tray to Break and Elliot.

"Thank you", they say bluntly. Annie turns back to Gil and pushes the tray to him.

"Thank you, Annie, but I have to ask Fathers permission for hiring you", Gil whispers.

"So you're not gonna drink it?" she asks.

"No."

"Great. Now I get twice as much tea."

Gil smiles. "I'll be back. Try not to cause too much trouble."

"Don't worry, I will", Annie answers playfully.

It's been raining for two days now. Annie sits on the crossroad of the path, quietly wandering the world in her mind. She listens to the rain and feels the water on her palms. She likes sitting in the rain; from her perspective, it was nice and refreshing, that and she felt clean after sitting in the rain. Annie opens her eyes. She looks up to a large oak tree, still wearing barren braches from the harsh winter. A tapping proceeds from behind Annie and she stands up to look at the origin of the tapping. She smiles as she sees a window, but the window's not the least bit important. What's behind it is, because beyond the window is the portrait of a young man tapping at the window, smiling subtly as his warm golden eyes calmly invite her in for afternoon tea.

_I AM SOOOOOO SORRY! I didn't mean to take this long on updating this but I didn't get very much time on the computer when I first started this fanfiction and when I asked "Ms. Jashinist" to post it for me, she oddly enough, never had the time to type it for me. But you can obviously tell that she had plenty of time to write her own fanfictions *rolls eyes*. Anywho, I apologize for any grammar and/or logic mistakes in this chapter. After all, I finished writing this chapter three/four months ago in Spanish class, and finished typing it at roughly 12:30am. *yawn* I will try to have the third out sooner, but I'm not done writing it yet. Here's a hint to the topic of the next chapter: Meow…_

_Please leave a comment or criticism but don't hate!_

_P.S. – your notes of reference (or whatever they're called):_

_*-large hardcover book_

_**- Vincent is still hugging Gil_


	3. Pet Troubles part 1

_Hmm… I has a bunny_

_(\. ./) this is a bunny_

_(+-+) put a bunny on your fanfic_

_(")(") so he can gain world domination_

_ Yea I saw this on a YouTube page; I didn't come up with it. It originally said "put a bunny on your page" but since I rarely use my page I had to come up with a new way of spreading the bunny. In any case, if you hadn't figured it out, this chapter is about pets. I am an animal lover. I like dogs a lot, but a love cats. Sort of ironic that my favorite character in Pandora Hearts despises them. Yea, Gil still has his little phobia of cats, and it comes into play in this chapter. Here we go!_

Chapter 3:

Dawn is sprinkling itself across the sky, and already Gil dreads the day awaiting him. He pushes the pillow over his head to block out the light, but eventually gives up. Gil sits up and sulks at the edge of the bed. He awaits the awful day ahead, and it all starts before breakfast. Gil looks over to the couch. He and Annie had permanently moved to the spare room because Annie didn't want to be in the servants' quarters. Annie is awake and drawing in the sketchbook Gil had bought her two weeks before. Gil closes his eyes.

"Annie", he murmurs. Gil rubs his eyes a bit then looks back to Annie. She's looking at him now, silent and expressionless, waiting for Gil to speak again.

"Can you get me my clothing please?"* he mumbles to her. She gets up off the couch and walks to wardrobe to get Gil's clothes. Gil gets up off the bed and rubs his neck a little.

"When's breakfast?" he asks when suddenly his clothing hits him in the face as Annie has just thrown it at him. The clothing slips off his face into his arms. Gil watches Annie as she goes back to the couch, grabs her sketchbook and strides out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Gil slumps back onto the bed and smacks his head into his hands. He groans and the door opens again.

"Hey Gil!" Elliot says cheerfully. "Breakfast is in an hour. Annie drew this great picture

for me wanna… wow. You look like crap." Gil looks up at his little brother.

"Are you and Annie sill fighting?" Elliot inquires.

"If you mean that she still isn't talking to me, then yes", Gil replies as he smacks his head back into his hands.

"Wow. She must be really mad. What did you do?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

-one week ago-

At the time Gil hadn't expected that much as far as arguments or trouble. Sure he knew Annie was blunt, hot-tempered and demanding but he never expected something so small to mean so much. The problem started last Saturday in the Nightray's study. Gil was reading and Annie was drawing in her new sketchbook and everything seemed okay.

"Hey Gil", Annie said out of the blue.

"Hm?"

"Can I get a pet?"

"Why?"

"Because I wanna pet."

Gil looked at her in confusion. "You don't seem like the type to like pets", he said slowly.

"On the contrary, I love them", Annie answered cheerfully, "Can we get one?"

Gil chuckled. "Sure, we can get a pet."

"Any pet?"

"Any pet."

"Yes!" Annie put her arms up in the air and fell over.

Gil smiled. "What kind of pet do you want? I can get you one tomorrow," he said as he looked back to his book.

"Well I really like cats and kittens, can we get a kitten tomorrow?"

Gil froze. "No!" he said suddenly. "No cats!"

"Huh?" Annie looked at Gil. "But you just said you'd get me any pet I want. Wait, are you allergic to cats?"

"No", Gil stammered, "But I can't stand cats."

Annie gasped. "How can you say that? They're so cute and cuddly!"

"No they're not."

"You're horrible! That's it! I'm not talking to you until you get me a cat." Annie stood up, strode out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

*THUNK*

"Ow!" Gil yells. He looks up at Elliot, who's holding Pride and Prejudice.

"What?" Elliot asks bluntly, "You were zoning."

Gil puts his head back into his hands and groans.

"Anyway", Elliot says, "Annie drew me an awesome picture, wanna see?"

"Sure", Gil replies. He looks up and is face-to-face with a cat. "UAAHHHH!" Gil scrambles to get away and ends up falling off the other side of the bed. Elliot laughs hysterically.

"Wow! I was expecting a reaction but nothing as priceless!" Eliot chokes out as he wipes tears of laughter from his eyes.

Gil blushes. He's humiliated, depressed, and unable to end his suffering. He skooches over to the corner. He's determined to sit there until something good happens. He'll stay even if he rots and grows mushrooms.

"She really hates me, doesn't she?" he mumbles gloomily.

"W-Wait a s-second, Gil", Elliot stutters, "I'm sure it's not that bad, maybe you should just apologize."

"Why should I apologize?"

"I dunno it kinda seems like your fault."

"Okay, if that's what you think then go away, I want to sulk I peace.

"Fine by me." Elliot leaves and Gil wonders about what he should do. He knows that she won't speak to him till he buys her a cat, but right now he'd prefer to choke on his own vomit. So he decides to stay there for a while.

* * *

Annie stomps down the hallway in frustration. She doesn't even flinch when Break pops out from the ceiling with his creeper face on. She simply holds out Finnegan's Wake and smacks him in the face with it as she walks by. Break slips down from the ceiling and walks next to Annie.

"I see your selection in hardcover books to smack people with has not changed", he says cheerfully.

"Crawl into a hole and die", Annie says in annoyance.

"Hee hee", Break chuckles, "you know when you're really angry, you sound just like wittle Gil."

Annie swings Finnegan's Wake at Break but this time he's fast enough to duck.

"Oh my, did we hit a nerve?" Emily murmurs.

"Don't compare me to that bastard, you creepy clown-faced asshole!" Annie hisses.

"Oh? So you're mad at Gil? That's unusual, when did this occur?"

"Shut up, clown."

"Oh, c'mon, you can tell lil' ol' Break. Spill out every single little juicy detail."

"I don't wanna, you son of a bitch."

"Don't you mean 'son of a clown bitch'?"

"You're very good at digging graves. You've dug yourself quite a nice one. Now all I need to do is the dirty work and the only person I pity is Satan."

Break puts his hand on his always sheathed sword. "Are you suggesting a duel, little one? I must admit that I don't take threats like that lightly."

"Well then you shouldn't have any problem", Annie says in a sweet but sinister voice, "Because that wasn't a threat, it was a promise."

"Oh?" Break giggles, "So it's a duel?"

"Sure clown face. Just be aware that if you break it, you buy it, and if I break it, you buy it."

"Hmm", Break ponders, "Why am I the only one spending money on repairs?"

"I refuse to spend money on a catastrophe like your face", Annie says simply.

"Ah."

They stand there for some time and watch each other. Finally Break begins to unsheathe his sword but before he can do anything Annie aims and strikes him in the spot that hurts most**. Break collapses to the floor trembling in pain.

"W-Was t-that n-necessary?" Break stutters.

"You ugly clown-faced bastard, you actually planned on slicing me open, didn't you? Annie puts her foot on Break's head and grinds it into the floor.

"Aah, ahh, ooowwwwie! Annie, please stop!"

"What will you pay me? It's gonna hafta be a lot cuz I'm enjoying your pain right now", Annie states bluntly.

"Annie! Help!" a voice yells from the end of the hallway. Elliot has just sprinted out of the third story staircase and is running towards Annie with a mixed look of confusion and worry. Elliot runs across Break's body (with a series of groans for background music) and starts repeatedly pulling on Annie's skirt.

"Something's wrong with Gil! He's acting more depressed than normal! Help him! Please!" Elliot looks up at Annie, genuinely terrified.

"Um, hate to state the obvious, Elliot, but why should I care?" Annie asks bluntly, crushing Elliot's hopes of ending their fight.

"Y-You don't care at all? Elliot stutters.

"Nope."

Elliot slumps down onto Break's back. He looks up at Annie. "Why are you two fighting?" he asks.

"I wouldn't bother asking", Break mutters as he turns his head towards Elliot, his face creepier than ever, "You'll just end up like me."

"UUAAAAHHHH!" Elliot scrambles off of Break hides behind Annie. Annie groans. She lifts the heel of her shoe and smacks it into the exposed side of Break's head.

"I didn't ask for your help, clown", Annie hisses, "And I'm only a servant to Gil, Elliot, I'm not your bodyguard." She pushes Elliot out from behind her. "What he means is that he thinks you'll end up on the floor like him." Elliot looks to Break then back to Annie.

"W-Will I end u-up on the f-floor like him?" Elliot stutters.

"I don't kick children", Annie answers bluntly. Elliot looks at Annie in confusion and then in anger.

"I am not a child!" Elliot shrieks.

"Your reaction would prove otherwise", Annie mumbles. "I'm going to make myself breakfast", Annie announces, "Don't follow me and ask me continuously why Gil and I are fighting because I'm not going to tell you."

"Why do you even bother saying that?" Break ponders.

"You know we're gonna follow you anyway", Elliot states simply.

Annie looks back at Elliot with disdain. _I hate it when cute kids annoy me_, she thinks to herself. "Elliot", she addresses him.

"Hm?" he replies.

"I wasn't lying when I said I don't kick children, but that doesn't mean I don't smack them. Leave me the hell alone." And with that Annie takes her leave.

* * *

Elliot follows Annie with his eyes until she is out of view. "I would kill to figure out what this argument is about", Elliot mumbles.

Break, who has been on the floor until now stands up. "I have sword you can borrow, you just need to find the best person to kill or threaten to kill to get your desired answer!" Break spouts cheerfully.

Elliot looks back to Break. "You are much older than me and should know full well what a figure of speech is", Elliot says in exasperation.

"True", Break replies with a smile, "but I occasionally pretend not to know what they are to annoy people like yourself!"

"How did I know your answer would be something like that?" Elliot mutters.

Break chuckles. "Shall we follow the young lady and badger her with questions?"

Elliot thinks for a bit. _Well she is employed by the Nightray household so she technically can't hurt me…_ Elliot shrugs, "Sure, why not?" And he and Break run after the long departed Annie.

* * *

Vincent stomps down the hallway on the first floor. He has just come from a visit to his brother's room, and is livid at the sight of his brother's emotional state. Vincent strides into the kitchen where Annie is chopping up vegetables and threatening to throw the knife at Elliot and Break, who have been pelting her with questions for the past few minutes.

Rage steams from every pore on Vincent's body. "You bitch!" he shouts at Annie.

"Good morning to you too, Vincent", Annie mutters in annoyance.

Elliot grins at Vincent's anger. "I think Break and I aren't the only ones who want to know what you and Gil are arguing about", he says playfully.

"Elliot, allow me to remind you that if the Duke Nightray was not covering your ass I would drown you in the bathtub and use your shrunken head as a Christmas ornament!" Annie hisses. Elliot shrinks back as he realizes how vicious Annie had become after a few minutes of badgering.

"What have you done to my precious big brother Gil?" Vincent shrieks.

"Nothing he hasn't done to himself", Annie sighs as she pours a pile of assorted vegetables onto a frying pan.

"Gil hired you to keep him happy, if you can't handle that, then get lost", Vincent hisses.

"Actually, Vince, my job description is to not die and keep Gil from dying. 'Happy' isn't in the description, but I guess a man-whore in a dress can't understand that. Now if you wanna try to make Gil happy, you're fully welcome to, of course, Gil's homosexuality or lack thereof is neither my business nor my problem."

"I would do anything to make Gil happy, but you made this mess and you are going to fix it! And this is not a dress; it is a well fashioned robe, only an idiotic commoner like yourself is incapable of understanding that!"

"Right… it's a dress, you stupid homosexual transvestite. And since the majority of the world is commoners, you are a dress-wearing transvestite that wants to marry their older brother. And, for your information, this fight will only end if Gil gets over his irrational idiocy and I will not speak to him or forgive him until he does!" Annie slides her omelet onto a plate and slams the frying pan back onto the stove. She takes her plate and silverware over to the counter, slams them down and finds a stool to sit on. Vincent, Break, and Elliot stare at her in complete and utter silence.

"Do you mean to tell me", Vincent murmurs in a quivering voice, "That you are treating my brother with such contempt because he refused to give you something?" Annie stares down at her breakfast in silence, as if the delicious omelet has suddenly rotted on her plate, and biting into the well-made dish will give her no pleasure. "Have you no shame in asking Gil to fulfill your every selfish desire?" Vincent howls in rage. "You've only worked here for two weeks, and you never do any chores save for cleaning Gil's room and making tea! Gil has had to beg Father day in and day out just to keep you! And yet for some reason, you've gotten after two weeks of lousy labour what some of our other servants haven't gotten after years of hard labour! You have three brand new well-made dresses, a pair of good stockings, two pairs of brand new leather boots, and a sketchbook paired with the best drawing pencils that Gil could find! Will you not be satisfied until Gil wastes his entire life buying junk for a selfish brat like you?"

The room stays silent for a split second. Vincent breaths heavily. His brow is furrowed and his mouth is fashioned into a scowl so ugly that it makes him almost as scary as an angry death god. Regardless, Annie does not look up. She moves her right hand over the knife she used to cut vegetables and picks it up. Elliot hides behind Break, whose smile has vanished and been replaced with a solemn look. Vincent feels a shiver run down his spine, but he forces himself not to flinch. Annie raises the knife slowly, and stabs it into the counter. Her grip loosens on the kitchen utensil, and water droplets fall onto her breakfast plate. Annie suddenly jumps up from the stool and sprints out of the room, just as Gil enters.

* * *

"Annie?" Gil inquires in confusion. His golden eyes fill with worry. He looks around the room at Vincent, Break, and Elliot. "What did you say to her?" Gil asks then in a worrisome tone.

"I believe Vincent put his foot in his mouth and made the young lady cry", Break says in a solemn voice.

Vincent glares at Break. "If I'm not mistaken, Xerxes, you and Elliot weren't exactly cheering her up", Vincent says in a low and threatening voice.

"I, unlike some, know my limits", Break states simply as he stands up and stretches, "years of tampering with people's tempers will teach you when to stop. And little Elliot was only following my lead and would have stopped as soon as I did. Now if you don't mind I will be taking my leave…" Break wanders over to the broom cupboard and opens the door. He steps in and renews his creepish grin. He looks over to Vincent. "I bid thee farewell", Break says creepily as he closes the cupboard door. Vincent shudders and looks back at Gil. Gil is looking down and shivering.

"Vincent", Gil says suddenly.

"Yes, Gil?"

"What did you say to Annie?"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Then why is she crying?" Gil bellows in rage.

"I-I d-don't… s-she… b-but… I'm sorry!" Vincent stutters.

Gil grits teeth in anger, just about ready to raise a hand against his brother; he feels a tug on his shirt. He looks down at Elliot, still bursting in a terrifying rage. Elliot shrinks back in terror and his eyes wander frantically.

"U-U-Uh…" Elliot stutters, "I was to blame too! I'm really sorry Gil!" Elliot starts sobbing uncontrollably. Gil calms down, sensing genuine guilt in Elliot's words. Gil kneels down to comfort the crying child.

"It's alright, Elliot", Gil says softly, "What happened?"

"I-I wanted to know why you and Annie were fighting, so me and Break were asking her", Elliot chokes out in interrupted sobs, "and-and then, Vincent came in and started, yelling at Annie, and-and, she-she accidentally let out that she-she, might have asked, you for something and-and, Vincent started, yelling at her more and-and…", Elliot sobs into Gil's chest, as terrified, miserable and humiliated as any ten year-old child could ever be. Gil comforts Elliot as best as he can, and looks up scornfully at Vincent.

Vincent blushes so red that his face matches his one red eye. He sinks down in humiliation and guilt from knowing he has angered his older brother, frightened his younger brother, and won scorn from one Xerxes Break. "I was just trying to put her in her place", Vincent mumbles to himself. Gil breaks his death stare into Vincent and looks down at Elliot.

"Elliot", Gil says softly.

"Y-yeah?" Elliot chokes out as he rubs tears from his eyes.

"Why don't you go find Annie and maybe you two can cheer each other up a bit, okay?"

"O-Okay", Elliot stutters and runs off to find Annie.

Gil stands and begins walking towards Vincent.

"Gil, I-I'm sorry, I was only concerned for your welfare, really!" Vincent rambles worriedly as he backs away from Gil.

Gil reaches Vincent and grabs him by the collar, vibrating in silent anger. "If I had wanted you to discipline Annie, I would have asked you to. And you could've asked me what was going on just as easily as her", Gil says in a threatening tone. Gil lets go of Vincent and paces around the kitchen. "I don't want to hear about anything like this ever again", Gil sighs.

Vincent sinks to the floor, still misunderstanding the entire situation. "Gil?" Vincent asks.

"What?" Gil replies in annoyance.

"What did she ask you for?"

Gil sighs and put his head in his hands. _This isn't easy for me to explain, then again, nothing is easy for me to explain_, Gil thinks to himself. "Alright, I'll tell you", he says softly. Gil pauses for a bit to think of how to tell Vincent.

"Well what is it?" Vincent asks impatiently.

Gil rubs his neck and directs his eyes towards the floor. "Annie wants a pet", Gil says slowly while looking up at his brother.

Vincent's face takes on a surprised look, but is quickly replaced by a suspicious one. "What kind of pet?"

* * *

Annie wipes the tears from her eyes. Like most young adults she hates crying, but she especially hates knowing that Vincent saw her crying. Annie royally hates Vincent, for the obvious reason of his distaste towards her but also because of his frightfully twisted and gruesome habit of ripping and cutting up stuffed animals with a decorated pair of scissors.

Annie sits on the bed in Gil's new room. She tries to remember how she felt two weeks before, the happiness she found in knowing that someone stopped to think about her, and two times over, even after she rejected him the first time. She smiles at the remembrance of that first conversation she had with Gil.

"Bonjour!" Break pops out from under the bed smiling. "Have the young lady's tears ended?" Break climbs up from under the bed and sits beside Annie.

"What do you care", Annie murmurs away from Break.

"Well if it counts for anything I had no intention of making you cry", Break says gently. Annie looks over at Break. They make eye contact, and Annie is surprised to find that instead of the normally crude and apathetic look that Break held in his one red eye has been replaced with a surprisingly gentle empathy. Break looks away from Annie.

"And if not for the pain that would come upon me by Lady Rainsworth's hands I would have knocked some good sense into that idiotic Nightray boy that we like to call Vincent", Break continues, "So cheer up, little one, okay?"

Annie smiles at his attempts to cheer her up and wipes a few more tears from her eyes. "Than—" Annie begins to say when a look of horror strikes her face at the sight of Break. He has a creepily cheerful smile on his face and is moving towards her with his arms wide open.

"Come come now, give ol' Break a hug 3", Break says cheerfully. Break wraps his arms around Annie, who squirms madly.

"Get offa me!" Annie shrieks as she smacks him with Pride and Prejudice. Break giggles and pops off the bed.

"I think we made her angry, oh my…" murmurs Break.

"I think we're in trouble! Run, run!" Emily laughs. Break giggles maniacally and bounces around the room.

"Catch me if you can!" Break calls out cheerfully.

"You almost make it sound difficult", Annie smiles evilly. Annie roars as if she was a wild and ferocious animal, obviously planning on cutting her inner child loose.

"Was that a battle cry I heard?" Break inquires in cheerful curiosity.

"Not sure", Annie says simply, "But you should run a little faster, because when I get ahold of you I'll give you the worst noogie known to man!"

"Oh ho! That so?" Break says cheerfully.

"Yup! It'll be so bad that you won't be able to think for a couple of days! You'll just go 'blahh!...'", Annie laughs playfully.

"Is chasing me around this depressing little room with intent of hurting my head enjoyable to you?" Break asks. Annie catches Break and tackles him to the ground.

"Very. Now then…" Annie puts Break in a headlock. "Are you ready for the worst noogie of your life?"

"Well I do have one question for you", Break grunts out.

"What?"

"Why'd you ask Gil for a cat?"

* * *

Annie's grin vanishes. She drops Break's head and walks over to the window. She sighs. "Did he tell you?" she asks quietly.

"Nope. I guessed", Break sits up while rubbing the back of his head.

"Annie looks down at the window sill. "Why do you need to know?" she murmurs.

"Hm?"

"Why do you need to know? Why do you keep pestering me with your questions?" Annie strides over to Break as he stands up. She grabs him by the collar with both hands. "What will it take for you to realize that I don't want to tell you?"

Break looks at her solemnly. "I think…", Break begins as he detaches Annie's hands, "That it's not so much that don't want to talk about it. It's that you're afraid. You asked him because you were afraid of something, so afraid that you didn't know how to tell him. I know you know better than to ask too much of Gil, just as I know you have a good reason to ask him for this." Annie stares ahead, bearing a mixed look of terror and devastation.

"I hit the nail right on the head, didn't I?" Break say gently. Tears begin to pour out of Annie's eyes. She grabs onto Break's shirt and begins to sob horribly. Break slowly embraces and comforts the crying girl.

"…nie! Annie!" Break looks at the entrance of the room. As he does, Elliot sprints into the door and falls over.

Break chuckles. "It's times like these that a clumsy ten year-old is the most entertaining." Annie looks up at the door and wipes her eyes. Elliot is getting up and holding his forehead. Annie, who's confused by this, looks up at Break.

"What happened?" she asks him.

"He ran into the door", Break states simply. Annie begins to vibrate. "Hm? Annie? You alright?" Break asks Annie bursts out laughing, so cheerfully that it was hard to believe she was ever crying.

"Annie!" Elliot runs over to Annie and Break. "Annie! I'm sorry! I'm really sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry promiseI'llneverdoitagain sorry!" Elliot rambles, "Will you for—" Annie shushes Elliot with her index finger and gives him an enormous bear hug.

"You are one of the most adorable kids I have ever met", she says to him.

"Hey!" he objects.

Annie looks at Elliot. "If you're about to complain about not being a child I'll have to beg to differ", she smirks.

Elliot shakes his head. "No! I shouldn't be one of the most adorable kids. I should be the most adorable kid!"

Annie laughs. "Sorry, Elliot, a little girl by the name of Morii already beat you to that title."

"Aww", Elliot pouts.

"I might have to steal you to soften up arguments between Sharon and me", Break observes, "Sort of saved me from 'the world's worst noogie'."

"Oh, thank you for reminding me!"

"Wahh!" Annie puts Break into a headlock and begins to give him a violent noogie.

"Mwa ha ha ha! Feel the wrath of the ultra noogie!" Annie yells mischievously.

"Ow, ow… owie! Why must my pain be entertaining to you?" Break whines.

The trio laughs in happiness, as if all their troubles had disappeared. But the moment is short-lived as a "chink" is heard from the doorway. Annie, Break, and Elliot look at the doorway and see a decorated pair of scissors, and the owner of the scissors, terrifying and ghoulish in his rage. The trio shrinks back, and the beast-like 17 year-old boy begins to speak.

"You had the gall to ask Gil for a cat?"

-to be continued-

_READ THIS ENDNOTE!_

_:D I love writing cliffhangers! :D And I love the next chapter! I can't wait to share it with you guys. :D Did you think this was the climax? SPOILER ALERT: you're wrong if you think this is the climax! This is like high point in rising action! I'm so happy finished writing this! Enjoy your wait for the next chapter :D I feel so sadistic…._

_P.S.- Did anyone other than me notice that Break is practically like a fairy godmother in this? I started thinking "Dear Lord, what have I done?" Please leave a comment or criticism but don't hate! Your hint for the next chapter: "You stopped squirming."_

_And last but not least… the notes of reference…(or whatever they're called)_

_*-Gil is wearing pants, sorry to ruin the fantasies of all you pervs out there._

_**-She kicked him in the nuts. Just had to note it somewhere cuz I don't want someone reviewing and asking me where exactly she kicked him cuz that would be just plain awkward O.o _

_Until next chapter :)_


	4. Pet Troubles part 2

_Hmm… Lulz "scary" Vincent_

_ If you think that Vincent would be legitimately scary in that situation last chapter then you're goddamn right. He would be pretty scary. Of course, when he tries to be scary, he's just an ass. Then again, anger has that sort of effect on people. You know, they're either really scary or absolutely hilarious. Now in the last little cliffhanger =3, Vincent was scary. But hell, sad and scary scenes are legitimately hard for me. Funny comes much easier. For example, remember that scene last chapter where Annie accused Vincent of wearing a dress? Yeah I came up with that like five months ago when I was still writing chapter two. Anywho, I've delayed from the story long enough. Les get this started! =3_

_P.S.- The torture that awaits me for not updating this sooner will begin after the chapter ends._

Chapter 4:

Vincent glares at Annie intensely. Annie blocks his angry gaze with an apathetic stare. He doesn't seem to notice. He's too busy pretending to be a crazed demon child who would love to throw his decorated scissors through Annie's heart. Annie is aware of this, but she also knows that she is still in Gil's good graces, so to her, Vincent is all bark, and no bite.

"How dare you ask Gil to buy his least favorite animal!" Vincent shrieks.

"How dare you interrupt the ultra noogie", Annie says bluntly, "I was in the middle of putting a five inch bruise on Break's head."

"Actually", Break—who Annie still has in a headlock—grunts, "I think you already did that." Annie drops Break and Vincent strides towards her. Vincent grabs her by the collar of her dress. Annie remains expressionless. Ultimately, she has decided that the best way out of the situation is to answer Vincent's harsh words with a barrage of snarky retorts.

"Sure, grab me by the collar. I'm not a sixteen year-old girl with cleavage", Annie says sarcastically, "I've just been abnormally fat in the frontal chest area since the age of twelve. You're not sexually harassing me at all."

Vincent isn't amused. "You don't deserve to be his servant."

"Hah! You make it sound like a complete honor."

"You should treat it like one. If Gil hadn't found you, you would have frozen on the streets like the little wretch you are."

"You're right", Annie stares right into Vincent's eyes, completely fearless, "I would have died. And Gil would've died too. He owes me his life just as much as I owe him mine." Vincent lets go of Annie and stomps around the room in anger.

"He should have left you on that street", Vincent mumbled as he stops as he turns towards her.

"Ya know, maybe he should have", Annie agrees. Vincent looks at Annie, still bursting with anger. Annie walks towards him, slow and sophisticated, almost as if she herself had once been of noble blood. She stops a few feet before Vincent. "But it happened", she says softly, "He didn't leave me to die. And you can't change that." Vincent breaks eye contact with her, and Annie walks away from him.

"Elliot", she calls.

"Y-Yeah?" Elliot stutters.

"I think it'd be best for you to leave now."

"But—"

"Ah ah ah, no buts. You've learned enough fancy curse words for the day. Out."

"But what about—"

"Break? I know Break would eavesdrop even if I told him not to. I have good faith that you would know better. And he's also age appropriate for the conversation."

"But—"

"I'll be fine. Now out." Elliot sulks but walks out of the room obediently. Annie, Break and Vincent follow him with their eyes until the door closes behind him.

"You know", Annie starts as she walks over to the bed and sits on the edge, "I recall hearing from Elliot and Break that Gil rarely smiled before I came along." Vincent turns his gaze to Annie quickly and venomously. "And I don't mean to brag", Annie continues, "But that's changed in recent weeks, has it not?"

"He's been more depressed recently because of you!" Vincent howls.

"No one wins in an unresolved argument", Annie answers swiftly, "Both parties take blows, both parties suffer. You're cheating yourself the truth if you think Gil feels any more pain than I do."

"Funny", Vincent hisses, "Your mood hasn't changed very much over the past week."

"I was taught how to act in grade school", Annie shrugs.

"Then why?!" Vincent yells. "Why do you continue to bring pain upon Gil and yourself?! Why won't you just accept that he won't get you a cat?! Why must you get what you want?!"

"I suppose someone as genuinely twisted as yourself wouldn't understand it", Annie retorts lightning fast, "One who thinks that all a servant deserves is food, water, and a cold floor to sleep on wouldn't understand that everyone desires a bit of company."

"So you're saying Gil's company isn't good enough for you?" The room goes quiet. Vincent glares at Annie, who stares down at her feet. Break, who's been watching quietly until now, stands up and looks at Annie.

"Annie?" Break asks, almost sounding concerned.

Suddenly Annie looks up at Vincent, her eyes showing genuine sadness and fear. "Gil leaves for a Pandora mission tomorrow morning", Annie says clearly and quietly, "Break does too." Annie slowly gets up off the bed. She begins to walk around again. "And at first", Annie continues, "I didn't mind too much. Sure, I was very uncomfortable knowing that I would be alone in the house you and Duke Nightray, since both of you detest me, but at least I'd have Elliot to keep me company." Annie stops in front of the window and stares at it for a second. Then she looks back at Vincent. "But then Elliot told me", Annie says shakily, "That he was going on a trip with his parents and blood brothers starting tomorrow. Just him, his brothers, and the Duke and Lady Nightray. Of course you weren't interested; Gil wouldn't be there." Annie pauses to breathe. "So that leaves me alone in the house with you, Vincent, the one person who more than anyone else would love to see me dead." Annie stares at Vincent. Her eyes are watery and she feels every bit of pain and despair she had felt for the past week.

"Can you really blame me for asking Gil for a friend?" she asks as her voice breaks and a single tear falls from her right eye. She breaks her stare at Vincent, and Break walks towards her. He pats her on the head.

"You're quite strong on the inside, aren't you, kiddo?" he whispers cheerfully. Break pulls out Annie's sketchbook and hands it to her.

"Where did you—"

"From the kitchen of course!" Break says cheerfully. "You did leave it there. Now go draw some pretty pictures for me and little Emily. I'd like to have a word with Vincent." Annie sighs, feeling oddly relieved and stressed at the same time. She smiles weakly at Break and walks past Vincent to the door. She takes one last look around the room, as if she is checking to see if anything's out of place. And then she leaves.

* * *

Break smiles as Annie leaves the room. A devious plan he had concocted sometime during Chapter 3 of _Pandora Hearts: Hmm_ has finally succeeded. Break claps his hands together. "Now then… um, where do you think you're going?" Break addresses Vincent, who's about to open the door and leave the room.

"I don't want to talk to you", Vincent says in a bratty as-a-matter-of-fact attitude.

Break twitches. _There are so many times when I want to punch you_, he thinks about Vincent. Vincent opens the door to leave the room and a "tup, tup, tup, slam!" is heard from the outside hallway. Vincent peers past the edge of the door, and Break raises his eyebrows.

"Oh", Vincent says in an unconcerned tone, "You should probably try to run into doors less." Elliot pops into Breaks field of vision.

"I wouldn't have run into it if you hadn't opened it so quickly", Elliot says coldly. Elliot looks at Break and runs towards him.

"What happened?" he asks in curiosity.

"I don't have the time to tell you right now", Break says quickly, "Oh Vincent!" Break moves to the bed and sits down.

"What?" Vincent replies in exasperation.

"I know you don't want to talk to me, but maybe", Break says as he jumps off the bed and reaches under it, "you'd like to talk to Gil." Break pulls a tied up and gagged Gil from under the bed. "You stopped squirming", Break observes.

Vincent freezes at the door. "How long has he been under there?" Vincent asks quietly.

"The entire time", Break says cheerfully, "He's been in here as long as I have" Break takes off Gil's gag.

"If you don't untie me right now, I'm going to shoot you", Gil says immediately.

"As cheerful as always", Break chuckles. Break unties Gil and he stands up to stretch in an instant.

"If you ever tie me up and stuff me under a bed again I'll be forced to hurt you", Gil threatens Break.

"Aww, but I thought you'd like to know why this argument is still happening", Break answers. The smile on Break's face suddenly vanishes. He looks at Gil. "So what do you plan on doing?"

Gil scratches his head. He stops and sighs. Break waits patiently. "She won't be happy until she has a cat, huh?" he asks himself and then groans. "Why couldn't she like a different household animal? I would have preferred an elephant to a cat." Gil sighs again.

"Well which option do you prefer?" Break asks.

"Honestly, I'm surprised that she didn't ask me for a bodyguard", Gil says in exasperation. He glares at Vincent.

Vincent backs away in fear. "G-Gil… I-I'm sorry…" he stutters.

"I understand it if you're not particularly fond of Annie, but when I say I don't want you harassing her it doesn't mean turn around and do it behind my back! And though it may surprise you, I could blame this entire argument on you!" Gil yells.

"What?" Vincent asks in confusion.

Gil strides towards Vincent, who stumbles back in fear. "She asked me for a pet because she was afraid of you!" Gil hisses, "And she has every reason to be. If you try this hard to make her miserable when I'm around, then it's only reasonable to assume that you'd be worse when I'm gone." Gil grabs Vincent by the collar and wrenches him forward. "When I get back", he says in a quiet and threatening voice, "You are going to spend some quality time with me and Annie. When I am home, she will not leave my sight, and after this incident, I'm tempted to take her with on my safer missions. However, when I'm not home, Elliot will be with her and will tell me if you do anything unsatisfactory. Are we understood?"

"Y-Yes."

"Good." Gil lets go of Vincent. "Now come with me," Gil says as he walks towards the door.

"W-Where are we going ?" Vincent asks shakily.

Gil turns around to face his brother. "We are going to a pet store. You are going to redeem yourself by helping me pick out… a cat for Annie," Gil says nervously. Gil turns to leave the room, then abruptly stops and looks at the door questionably. "Actually," he begins.

"Yes?" Vincent says hopefully.

"Before you do anything else," Gil continues, "You are going to get your scissors out of my door. Then you'll meet me by the entrance and we'll go." Vincent shrivels in despair and Gil leaves. Break smiles.

"Well, I must be off now," Break claps his hands together and moves to the closet.

"You're leaving?" Elliot whines.

"My plan unfolded perfectly," Break says as he opens the door to the closet and steps in, "My work here is done." And with that, Break takes a bow and closes the door.

* * *

Gil sincerely feels sick to his stomach. He's been staring at this pet store's display window for about fifteen minutes and there's nothing but… cats. Yes, this is the sort of store he needed. Perfect. Now he just needs to, as Annie would put it, "gather up his balls and step inside". But he doesn't want to. He really despises being caught between a rock and a hard place.

"So I'm guessing you've had enough…" Vincent muses in a hopeful manner, "I go tell the coachman to ready the carriage for our departure…"

This makes Gil snap. Without even thinking about it, he steps into the pet store swiftly, probably causing Vincent to nearly pass out from the combination of shock and despair as he followed.

"Welcome," the store clerk stutters to the distracted man, "H-How may I help you?"

"What do you have in the in the way of cats and kittens?" Gil says quickly. _Just get it over with, Gil_, he thought, _this is hopefully the last time you'll need to touch the… cat._

"Y-Yes they're in the front," the clerk stutters. Gil already knows that. "Right this way." The clerk stumbles to the front of the store and shows them the back of the display case. Gil sincerely feels as if he might puke from sheer terror. Half of his brain is currently trying to convince him that if he went back now and Annie saw him in this state that she would forgive him and let it slide, but the other half knows all too well: like hell that'll happen. If he goes back now, Annie will never speak to him again, Elliot will ridicule him for the rest of his life and Break, well after all the effort Break put in to making this happen, he'd probably shove Gil back under the bed for six months. Gil shudders. He has gained a new fear today—fear of being shoved under his bed.

"Are you okay, sir?" the clerk inquires nervously.

"He doesn't actually like cats," Vincent explains calmly (something in his voice gives Gil the impression that his brother's sadistic side is enjoying this), "he just needs to get one for a friend."

"Oh. O-Okay," the clerk answers in a flustered manner. Gil tries to ignore them and find a good kitten for Annie. He walks back and forth across the space of the window, when suddenly he becomes aware of a little orange tabby that appears to be following him from side to side. He moves to the left. The kitten follows and meows. He moves right. The kitten follows and meows again. He moves to the middle and stands completely still, and the little orange tabby meows and jumps up on the glass window to greet Gil. It's a persistent little furry thing, he'll grant it that.

"What's gotten into you, Stix?" he hears the clerk murmur behind him. He must be referring to the orange one staring at him and meowing.

"Is he not normally like this?" Gil asks the clerk absentmindedly.

"Never," the clerk breathes, "he normally sleeps until at least noon." Huh. So he was getting special treatment from the furry little monster. How lovely. He kneels down to get a closer look at the little striped orange thing. As he kneels the kitten starts pawing at the glass—it is indeed a persistent furry thing. The orange tabby dismounts from the window pane and bounces around in a circle and then rubs his head up against the glass as if to reach Gil. He watches as the amusing furry thing gathers nearly every cat toy in the display case and places them in the space before Gil. He watches as the kitten pushes the toys as close to Gil as he possibly can, and then places his forepaws on the glass and meows loudly to him while purring and pressing his face against the glass. Gil smiles. It couldn't be a more obvious message, the kitten likes him, the kitten wants him, the kitten will do anything just to get picked. Persistent, indeed. The furry thing nearly reminded him of a certain black haired girl that was probably busy trying to forget about him back home, and of a certain wavy haired man that would bend just for her on just this occasion. He looked up at the clerk.

"What's the story behind this little rascal?" Gil inquires.

"I-I found him scratching at the entrance over there when he was a mere month old," the clerk answers, "I think he was separated from his mother and siblings. But he's a stubborn little thing; he won't give up until he gets exactly what he wants." There was never a more perfect description for Annie's attitude. Gil smiles at the kitten—he honestly can't see any other more deserving to be Annie's. He stands up—he has made his decision.

"You said his name was Stix, right?" he asks the clerk without turning.

"Y-Yes!" the store clerk stutters.

Gil looks over to his brother solemnly. "Vincent," he addresses him.

"Yes?" Vincent pipes up.

"Get a few cat toys and some food."

Vincent nods nervously and goes into the aisles of the store. Gil turns back to the display case. He's still very much afraid of the little monster, but on this one occasion he'll allow it. He opens the display case and cautiously lets Stix jump onto his shoulder. Stix meows in what Gil can assume is a happy manner, and the man stands and looks at the store clerk. He feels sick, very sick. There's a cat on his shoulder. It's already a miracle that he hasn't started freaking out yet.

"Do you have a cat carrier?" he asks nervously.

"O-Of course!" the clerk answers. The store clerk stumbles back to the checkout counter and Gil follows ever so cautiously. The clerk pulls out a cat carrier and places it on the counter. "Here you are, sir."

Gil carefully detaches Stix from his shoulder, but Stix meows loudly and reattaches his forepaws to the man's shirt. He groans. "Please go into the cat carrier for now," he says to the furry little monster in exasperation. Stix stares at him for a few seconds more and then detaches his claws from Gil's shirt. He places Stix on the counter and the little orange tabby obediently walks into the cat carrier.

"Gil!" the man turns as Vincent emerges from the aisle carrying a few—rather, a lot of cat toys.

"What Vince?" he asks.

"Um…" Vincent pauses, "I don't know which ones to get," he says weakly.

Gil looks over to the store clerk. "Does Stix have any preferences?"

"Um… yes," the clerk walks over to Vincent and begins taking out random cat toys, "Stix likes noise makers, catnip, and of course he loves fake prey on a string." The clerk walks back over to the counter to bag the items and as he passes Stix, the furry thing reaches a paw out to bat at the toys. "And he's fond of salmon, but he's tolerant of kibble if you prefer to buy that," the clerk adds as he bags the items.

Gil thinks about this—for now the most frugal route would be kibble, and since Duke Nightray probably wouldn't be happy about this in the first place, buying the animal gourmet food as well would probably be a bad move. "I guess kibble will have to do for now," Gil shrugs, "Vincent! Put those toys back and get some kibble." Vincent frowns in exasperation but does as he says. Gil turns back to the flustered store clerk and places a large quantity of money on the counter—he really didn't like to spend this much on anything very often but he wanted to get back to the estate as soon as possible; he wanted to get back to Annie before she decided to give up on him. "Will this be enough?" he asks.

The clerk's eyes widen with surprise—yes, it's enough. "O-Of course!" the clerk replies hastily.

"Good," Gil sighs and picks up the bag of toys and the cat carrier. He was going back to her now without delay—he needed to hear Annie's voice once more.

* * *

Gil nervously walks down the second floor hallway. He's spent roughly fifteen minutes looking for Annie. He put Stix in his bedroom, but he didn't want to leave the little monster in there unattended for too long. He looks down an intersecting hallway and sees Annie sitting in a corner on the right hand side. He turns right and walks towards her.

"Annie," he says as he reaches the corner she's sitting in. She ignores him, as she is drawing in her sketchbook and that seems to be infinitely more important. Annie!" he repeats. Annie looks up this time, while appearing slightly annoyed in expression.

"Can you come with me please?" he asks as he holds out his hand to her. "I have something I want to show you." Annie looks at him in annoyance and then continues drawing. "Please, Annie!" he repeats once more. Annie closes her eyes and puts the pencil down. She stands up and looks at Gil impatiently. "Thank you," Gil says gratefully and then leads her back to his bedroom.

"Wait one second," he says to her. Gil puts his ear to the door. He can hear Stix meowing loudly on the other side and he smiles. He beckons Annie, "Listen!" Annie sighs and puts her ear to the door while looking at Gil. Gil waits excitedly as her expression changes from annoyed to confused. She looks away from Gil while keeping her ear on the door, the looks at the door in bewilderment. She looks back at Gil with a questioning smile on her face.

"You locked the poor thing in your bedroom?" she asks, almost laughing.

Gil is flustered. "Well, I-I had to put him somewhere!" he says in his defense.

"Rule number one of keeping pets, Gil," Annie says smiling, "They don't like to be confined. Now move over." Annie pushes Gil back and opens the door. Stix bounces out meowing loudly. "Oh, aren't you a cutie?" Annie says happily. Stix looks in the direction of Annie, and notices Gil standing next to Annie. He meows angrily and charges into Gil's left leg.

"Ahhh…" Gil wails. Stix sits there and looks up at him, anger in his eyes and his little tail flicking back and forth. "S-Stop looking at me like that…" Gil stutters.

Annie giggles and pats Gil on the back. "That's what you get for making him angry." Annie kneels down to talk to Stix. "Hi there, little guy," she says gently, and Stix meows happily and bounces up to her. Annie picks Stix up and he purrs loudly. "Well aren't you the most adorable little gentleman," Annie says happily, "Beautiful coat, I've always loved orange tabbies…" Annie rambles on as she plays with Stix, and Gil breathes out a sigh of relief. He closes his eyes and listens to the sound of Annie's voice, as if it were the sound of a long last melody that had failed to reach his ears for ages. He smiles. He had missed that sound. It was a happy sound, regardless of whether she was sarcastic or playful or even annoyed, that sound never failed to make him smile inside. _Yes, _he thinks, _It's a happy sound_, and he opens his eyes to see Annie cuddling Stix playfully.

"Now what's your name?" she asks as she holds him out in front of her. Stix meows in reply.

"His name is Stix," Gil says to Annie with a gentle smile.

"Stix? Huh…" Annie beams and puts Stix down. "Well, Stix, a gentleman of your stature deserves much more sophisticated dress." Stix meows in agreement. Annie takes the blue ribbon out of her hair and fashions it into a bow around Stix's neck. "There, a handsome little bowtie for you," Annie says approvingly. Stix purrs loudly and climbs onto Annie's shoulder.

Gil begins to walk away, sensing that he's done his job, but he's stopped when there's a tug on his sleeve. Gil turns around and is caught by surprise. He stares straight into Annie's eyes, captivated by the lively October sky hidden within them. A smile sits below that October sky, bright and warm and filling him with a joy he'd forgotten he could feel. A warmth is blazing through him to put a pounding in his heart and a blush on his cheeks. Gil stands there, captivated by that October sky, warmed by that bright smile, and longing for words from his melody long forgotten, lost yet standing so close.

She gives a small laugh, a giggle at most, and looks at Gil with a grateful smile. "Thank you."

* * *

_**A/N: READ THIS IF YOU LIKED/LOVED THE CHAPTER AND HATED THE AUTHOR FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER.**_

_ Annie: You didn't update for nearly eleven months? *cracks knuckles*_

_ Peeves: Uhh… Umm… *impending doom, backing away*_

_ Annie: BREAK! LEND ME YOUR SWORD!_

_ Break: Yes ma'am! *tosses sword to Annie, Annie takes it and drags Peeves into a separate room*_

_ Peeves: Noo! *door closes, immediately closed room vibrates with construction noises and Peeves's screams for mercy*_

_-one hour later-_

_ Peeves: *covered in bruises, still crying* My deepest apologies to all my fans!_

_ Annie: Fans? What fans? They've probably all given up on you._

_ Peeves: Don't remind me… I'm sorry, my life's sort of been hell to me over the past several months, so I didn't have a lot of time, for reading Pandora Hearts or typing this up on my computer. Well, as compensation, I wish to discuss the vague future of this fanfiction. I do indeed plan to continue it. There are going to be arcs now, I've decided. This chapter concludes the second arc: "Pet troubles"._

_ Annie: you just came up with that on the spot, didn't you?_

_ Peeves: Pretty much. The next arc will be "Faded Memories" and after that, "A Lakeside Visit". I also think this may turn into a rewrite starting around chapter 40 of Pandora Hearts, though with quite a bit of knowledge about the past that is released in later chapters. I'm also putting up a couple of polls for you guys._

_ Annie: Oh dear._

_ Peeves: Shut up. First: I've been debating this with myself, but when I first drew up Annie someone told me that she looked a lot like Alice. As a result… I considered making the two related. Aye or nay? Second: I've considered giving Annie a legal contract with a chain that no one is aware of: aye or nay? And finally: Do you mind terribly if this becomes a rewrite where Elliot and Vincent do NOT die? Aye or nay?_

_ Last but not least: I haven't completed the next chapter but I hope to post it soon. I won't make any promises though._

_So please leave a review and tell me your thoughts! Oh and vote on the polls…_


	5. Faded Memories Preface

_Hmm... This isn't just an author's note, I promise._

_But that being said, I would indeed like you to read this. I had total of one vote towards the poll I put on my page. The question was as to whether or not Alice, the Will of Abyss, and Annie should have been triplets. Thought I ought to clarify. Triplets at birth. No longer the same age obviously (which I can definitely explain) but indeed related. The answer was nay, by the way, but for now that is irrelevant because I won't make a decision on one vote. I did however change the poll; it's currently this question: __**Should Annie secretly have a legal contract with a chain?**__ I've been thinking about this one for a while, and I think it could be a very useful tool in allowing two things: creating a decent ending for the story and eliminating the bulk of Annie's Mary Sue traits. Now some people can reasonably assume that it would do the opposite, but don't worry, I've been putting a lot of thought into it, and I've found a way to make the contract virtually non-empowering (I don't think that's a word). _

_Now as for other items, I wanted to send out a thank you to all of the Hmm fans. This is the first fanfiction that I even considered committing to paper/word, most remain in my head for personal entertainment, and I'm very wary about sharing my stories with others. That being said, when I received compliments instead of the really critical reviews I had been paranoid about, it inspired me to write more. Now considering my track record with updates, it's reasonable to think that's bullshit; I promise though, It's not. I'm sending a particular shout out to Kira Tsumi, since she's the first to every review Hmm and also was the first to make me even consider bringing Hmm into the current plotline at all. Now all I have to do is make sure that whatever ending I make for this doesn't royally suck like the ending of the Pandora Hearts anime (sorry if anyone watches instead of reading, but I hated the anime's ending)_

_Last bit of this long ass opening before I reveal this short preface to the Faded Memories arc. I don't recall if I have mentioned this, but I have a few drawings of Annie, Gil, Vincent, Break, and Elliot that I plan to post when I post the first chapter of the Faded Memories arc (which will hopefully be soon) I'll probably have them all decently photoshopped by then. Well, I've delayed you long enough. Here, enjoy._

Chapter 5:

The boy watched the two from afar. They looked so happy together, so fitting. He clenched the decorated pair of scissors in his hand-but he wasn't angry. No, not angry. Sad. Sorrow filled his heart when he saw Gil talking with Annie. He hated her. He hated her so much. But he couldn't touch her. He could never touch her, because now Gil was watching, and if he touched her, he would definitely lose Gil. He already knew that Gil didn't like him. But before Gil didn't have a choice. Gil needed him before. But Gil doesn't need him anymore. He has her instead.

The boy trudged down to his room, lonely and forgotten. He had lost the battle and the war. Annie had Gil, Gil had Annie. Vincent didn't fit, and he won't ever fit. He'd lost, he had nothing left, nothing at all. Gil was in the light now, Annie was leading him out of the darkness. She was holding his hand, bringing him forward. There was no place left for him.

Vincent fell back onto his bed. He covered his eyes with his hands and wished for a moment that his heart would cease its painful beating. No one loved him, no one ever will. Everyone feared him. Even Gil. No one had ever loved him, no one at all.

_"That's not true!"_

Ah. One person had. She had. He missed her. Vincent sat up from his bed and looked to his wardrobe; she was sitting on top of it, well, what he had left of her. He stood and grabbed it from the top of the wardrobe. It was still just as beautiful as it was when it was made a hundred years ago. A hundred years ago. That was right, it had been a hundred years. Vincent hugged the toy delicately. It was all he had left of her, and it was so fragile.

_"I like you Vincent. You're nice, and you won't ever change my mind 'bout that! Even if you do grow up to be a Cause of Misfortune, I'll save you from it. You don't have to be what they say you are, remember that!"_

Vincent had tried to listen to her. But she was gone too quickly. She was nothing more than a faded memory now.

_Don't forget to vote in the poll and review!~ My ego needs feeding or it'll shrivel up and die and take this story with it._


	6. Faded Memories chapter one

_Hmm… Okay this is where it gets weird…_

_ Of course it may have been weird already. I don't know. After all, I'm writing the story, I may have a veery different perspective compared to my readers. Anywho, despite the edits made in the previous four chapters, none of Elliot's legitimate siblings have appeared. And they haven't appeared, quite frankly, because I hadn't updated on Pandora Hearts recently enough to know about them. So, as a first appearance, we have Elliot's only older sister Vanessa. Well they say she's older, but they don't give her an age, I actually looked up her age and it said sixteen, which isn't a physical possibility if she's Elliot's __older__ sister. And the way she's drawn, well she could be much older, and you wouldn't know because they never tell you. So in this fanfic, she's officially four years older than him. If you think the age difference is too big then I'm sorry. But I can't change it, I have __plans__ for this fourteen year old. The next little edit is in Annie's background, but I can't tell you what it is :) that would be a spoiler._

Chapter 5:

Many a new maid has accidentally walked into that room during their first weeks at the Nightray estate. Many a new maid has stumbled upon that disturbing portrait of decapitated and mutilated stuffed toys. But few that have walked into Vincent's room in the past four years have noticed the strange addition hidden by the scattered toys and their fluffy "guts". This addition sits on the wardrobe by the door, and if one noticed it from afar it would look like a large opaque glass flower bud. In reality, the glassy part is in fact a pearly white fabric embroidered with silver thread. It's held together with stiff silver poles, small and connected in stiff curves. At the end of each "petal"—which curved out and down—were little tear drop jewels, light blue in color and held firmly to the end of each petal. On the base of this flower bud was a winding keyhole, matching the little silver key that sat next to it.

This flower bud was indeed a music box, and a very special music box at that. It was a message of hope to someone forgotten, and only someone who had seen it before would know how to uncover what hid beneath the petals of that flower bud.

* * *

Stix likes the wavy haired man. He has a warm body and interesting eyes and those traits made Stix very curious about the wavy haired man. Stix likes the wavy haired man a lot, and this is why, at six in the morning, Stix is sitting on the wavy haired man's chest and watching him sleep. To add to Stix's curiosity, Stix had noticed that the wavy haired had some very interesting reactions. He wants to see what the wavy haired man will do when Stix says good morning. But the wavy haired man's not waking up. Stix slowly outreaches a paw and nudges him in the face. The man doesn't wake. Stix meows in frustration. He pounces onto the man 's shoulders and the man stirs. His interesting eyes open to see Stix. Stix meows in appreciation and greets the man with a lick on the cheek. Then the man puts on a funny face and screams.

* * *

Annie laughs hysterically as Stix scrambles back to her as fast as his little kitty legs can carry him. He jumps frantically into her arms and trembles.

"K-Keep that t-t-t-thing away from me!" Gil stutters, breathing hard with his back up against the head of his four-poster.

"Aww, but he likes you," Annie giggles, "And I wouldn't worry too much. You scared the poor thing silly."

"I scared him?!" Gil whines in disbelief. Annie laughs and lets Stix climb onto her shoulder.

"Well imagine if you were only six inches tall and maybe 5, 10 pounds. Wouldn't you be scared of a man of your current height and weight?" Annie walks over to the wardrobe to get Gil's clothes. Stix climbs up to the top of the wardrobe and meows in agreement.

Gil looks up at Stix in annoyance. "Well, yes I would be afraid," Gil admits as he walks up to Annie, "But _I_ wouldn't have sharp teeth and claws…" As Gil says this he makes claw shapes behind Annie's back, but not for long as she turns around and shoves his clothing in his face.

"Even with them you could easily be squashed," Annie smirks. She walks towards the couch and Stix jumps onto Gil's head and then onto Annie's shoulder. "So Stix has every reason to be scared shitless." Stix meows happily and rubs his furry face into Annie's cheek. Annie pulls out a clean folded dress and two blue ribbons from under one of the couch pillows. "Now then," Annie says as she lifts up the clothes, "I have to maintain my dignity as the female occupant of this room and change in the unoccupied room next to us. And you," Annie walks up Gil and pokes him, "have to leave in about two hours so if you want to have time to get ready and say good bye to everyone I suggest you start now." Annie walks out of the room and finds herself opposite of a rather flustered and shy Vincent.

"Oh," she says in surprise, "Good morning, Vincent. Are you feeling better today?" Annie hadn't seen Vincent since lunch yesterday. She had apologized for yelling at him that morning, but he had claimed to have felt sick and had skipped lunch and dinner that day. She wasn't and still isn't quite used to Vincent's unusual silence, she almost wants him to start yelling at her again.

"Ummm…" Vincent mumbles as his eyes wander, "Is Gil awake now?"

"Well, yeah…" Annie looks at Vincent a little closer. There are enormous bags under his eyes and he's been looking down in an attempt to hide them, "But you're out of your fucking mind if you think you're gonna be able to see him looking like that."

"What do you mean?" Vincent murmurs to the floor.

Annie takes a step towards Vincent and pokes him in the forehead to bring his head up. "Dude, seriously? You look like you just walked right out of a TV studio after playing the part of 'teenage zombie'," Annie says in a sassy yet concerned tone.

"What's a TV studio?" Vincent asks quietly.

"That would take a very long time to explain to you," Annie says in a sophisticated tone, "And what you really need right now is some sleep."

"Wait, no!" Vincent protests as Annie starts to force him down the hallway, "I need to talk to Gil!" Vincent struggles frantically as Annie pushes him down the hall.

"I will relay your message personally!" Annie yells in a strained voice, "But it is not healthy for a young man to stay up all night, under any circumstances!"

"I NEED TO TALK TO GIL!" Vincent wails as he tries to push Annie's hand down and run for the door.

Annie loses her temper and grabs Vincent by the collar. "If you insist on continuing to fight me, Vince", Annie says threateningly, "Then I will be forced to kick you in the groin and drag your trembling body to your room. And when we get there, I'll tie you down to your bed and wait for you to sleep." Vincent gulps and gives in with a whimper. Annie takes the teenager back to his room and he flops onto his bed glumly. Annie pulls up a chair from his desk and sits in it. She looks around the room.

"You know this would be a really nice room if you actually cleaned it," Annie says bluntly. Vincent makes a noise of acknowledgement. "I'm guessing you clear the mutilated toys out once a week or so, am I right?" she continues, trying to make some sort of small talk. Vincent makes another noise of acknowledgement. Annie gets ticked off again. She pounces onto the bed and grabs Vincent by the collar. "OKAY, YOU NEED TO STOP BEING DEPRESSED NOW!" Annie yells into Vincent's face. Vincent groans gloomily.

"Cut it out, Vincent, it's really starting to annoy!" Annie continues yelling. Vincent groans again. The girl drops the teenager on the bed in annoyance. "If you're going to get this way every time you have a fight with Gil then it's about time for someone to cut the umbilical cord," Annie states with a note of concern in her voice.

"How'd you know I had a fight with Gil?" Vincent asks in quiet confusion.

"Is there anything else in your brain?" Annie replies bluntly. The young man considers this and plops his head back down on the pillow. "Alright," Annie thinks aloud, "You are going to sleep until at least noon, because you're going to make yourself sick otherwise."

Vincent nods glumly in response.

"I'll tell Gil you said goodbye and that you said you're sorry, and after I wake you up, you are going to work with me on finding a way to deal with your depression that does not involve Gil."

Vincent smirks as he closes his eyes. "Good luck with that," he yawns.

"Thank you," Annie says as Vincent falls asleep. She watches him sleep for a little longer then gets up from his bed and moves to his closet. She takes an extra sheet and drapes it over the sleeping Vincent. "Dear Lord, Vince," she sighs, "He doesn't have to be everything to you, ya know." Annie walks over to the desk and picks up the teenager's scissors. "Well if we're gonna fix your obsessive problem…" Annie considers the scissors for a second and decides to take them with her. The girl puts the desk chair back and closes the shades. She makes her way to the doorway as best she can and opens the door quietly. Stix, who had jumped off her shoulder when she forced to his room, bounces in and rubs his furry little body up against Annie's leg.

Annie smiles and picks up the kitten affectionately as she looks back into the room one last time. "Good night, Vincent," she whispers. Annie steps out and closes the door behind her, and she hopes she can find a way to help him.

* * *

Gil eats his breakfast quietly. It worries him that he hasn't seen Annie in a while and is tempted to go looking for her. Just as he decides to abandon his breakfast and search the corridors, the girl strides into the dining hall, finds the nearest chair to sit in, slams her head on the table and groans.

Gil raises his eyebrows. "Am I to assume that more has happened this morning than your going into the unoccupied room next to mine to change?" Annie looks up at Gil and stands up. She walks over to where he's sitting and crosses her arms. "What?" Gil asks in confusion.

"Someone hasn't been a very good big brother," she says as she pokes him repeatedly in the chest.

"What did I do now?" Gil whines.

Annie sighs and sits down next to Gil. "Your brother sat outside your room last night. All night."

"Oh. Hm. Creepy."

"He didn't sleep at all."

"Am I to assume that's bad?"

"You are."

"Ah," Gil ponders over this in his head while turning away from Annie. "Why didn't I see him when I walked out of my room this morning?" he inquires.

"I had taken him back to his room by that time. I assumed that if Stix scares you then your zombified brother could scare you to death."

"Hm. That explains the commotion outside my room. But it doesn't explain why you think I'm being a bad big brother," Gil states in an unconcerned tone.

"He thinks you're choosing me over him."

"And if I am?"

"Then I might have to slap you for sinking to his level."

"Hm. What I don't get," Gil says as he continues to eat his breakfast, "Is why you're suddenly sticking up for him. Yesterday you were afraid of him, now you're on his side. Now I've only known you for two weeks, so tell me, is it in your nature to be so painstakingly indecisive?" Gil looks at Annie and smirks.

She doesn't seem amused. "I don't know," she retorts, "Is it in your nature to absentmindedly pet cats that jump onto your lap when you aren't looking?" Gil looks down at his lap abruptly. Stix is looking up at him and purring loudly, obviously pleased that Gil is petting him. The man freaks out and falls backwards in his chair.

Gil looks up at Annie from the floor. "I told you to keep that thing away from me!" he whines.

Annie looks at him solemnly. "I saved your breakfast," she says calmly, completely changing the subject as she gestures to the plate in her right hand. "I also saved the cat," she says as she gestures to Stix, who's now scrunched up in her lap, "But something tells me you'd care more about your breakfast."

Gil tries to maintain his crumbling dignity as he gets up and repositions his chair. "Did you hear me at all?" he complains as he sits down again. Annie puts his plate down in front of him and leans her head on her now empty hand.

"Let's assume that if you're not on my good list, I'm inclined to 'forget' to do things for you," she states calmly.

"But you still haven't explained why I'm not on your good list," Gil points out, "and you definitely haven't explained why you're suddenly sticking up for Vince."

"Okay let's think about this logically," Annie begins.

"Okay…"

"Vincent's depressed."

"True…"

"Depressed people can be more reckless."

"Also true…"

"Now unlike you, Vincent is less likely to hurt himself and more likely to hurt whoever he blames. And in this situation, who does he blame?"

"Did you really think it through this much in under an hour?" Gil inquires.

"Answer the goddamn question, Gilbert!" Annie snaps in annoyance.

"He blames you," Gil answers quietly.

"Add that to the fact that I feel like I've been stealing a husband from his crazy housewife and you know why you aren't on my good list," Annie explains.

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" he asks in curiosity.

"I want you to leave for two weeks and leave me in charge of your brother."

"Like hell I'll let that happen."

"I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Annie, he sharpens his scissors."

Annie pulls out Vincent's scissors out from her apron pocket. "Then it's a very good thing I confiscated them, isn't it?" she asks while smiling.

Gil puts a hand over his chin and considers the scissors in Annie's hand. "So… did I buy you that for nothing?" Gil gestures to the purring Stix in Annie's lap.

Annie looks at Gil in astonishment. "Is the concept of cause and effect entirely lost on you?" Annie asks in surprise.

Gil continues eating. "Let's pretend it is and you can explain to me why you need that thing." Annie slams her head into the table again. The man stares at her patiently.

She looks back up at him in subtle annoyance. "You really are an idiot," she says bluntly.

"And you're still so very compassionate," Gil smirks, "So please, exercise your wonderful compassion and explain why my purchasing that thing was necessary."

Annie sighs. "You know, this 'thing' as you call it," she says as she gestures to Stix, "has a name, gender, and species. I'd prefer that you address it by one of those three."

Gil sighs and puts his head in his left hand. "Just tell me why you needed him Annie."

"I asked you for a cat, but you said no, so we had a week long argument," Annie explains.

"But then I bought you Stix," Gil points out.

"But before that," Annie continues, "I assume you had a falling out with Vincent. Thus Vincent became depressed and sat outside your room all night."

"That's still creepy to imagine," Gil thinks aloud.

"Anyway, I walked out of the room first this morning, therefore I was able to force Vincent back to his room and grab his scissors. Make sense?"

"I think so," Gil considers, "but he's still not on my good side. You aren't to go anywhere near him."

"How are you taking this all so calmly?" Annie asks in curiosity.

"Well I'm leaving in an hour or so, so it doesn't really concern me, does it?" Gil smirks at her.

The girl stares at him in annoyance. She puts Stix down on the table, then pulls her left leg up to Gil's stomach and pushes him over with her foot. The man wails as he falls and Annie calmly reaches for a strip of bacon from his breakfast plate.

"You're a good servant," Gil whines sarcastically from the floor.

"My only job is keeping you alive, no one ever said I would get in trouble for stealing your bacon," Annie states solemnly as she waves the bacon around carelessly.

Gil gets up and fixes his chair again. "What if my life depended on that bacon?" he asks.

"Oh does it?" Annie asks in surprise as she looks at the bacon. "Eh," Annie shrugs as she eats the bacon in one bite.

"Why are you being so mean to me?" Gil whines.

"Because you're being an ass," Annie says bluntly.

"Ooo, what's that word mean?" a voice says from across the table. Annie and Gil turn their attention to the voice and see Elliot watching them both intently.

"How long have you been sitting there?" the girl asks quietly.

"Since you pulled out Vincent's scissors," Elliot says brightly, "What's 'ass' mean?" Annie and Gil cringe.

"It's a bad word and you shouldn't use it," Gil says quickly.

"But why is Annie allowed to use it?" Elliot asks in curiosity.

"Because Annie is a servant," Gil answers slowly.

"Better than being an ass," Annie states bluntly.

"I am _not_ being an ass!" Gil snaps.

"But you just said 'ass' and you're not a servant, so why am I not allowed to use it?" Elliot asks in curiosity.

"Because you're a kid," Annie and Gil say simultaneously.

Elliot stands up on his chair and waves his arms in anger. "I'm not a kid!" Elliot shrieks, "I'm ten and a half! I'm not a kid anymore!"

"I'll believe that ten year olds are adults on the day Gil decides he likes cats," Annie tells Elliot bluntly.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Gil mutters.

"You're right," the black haired girl agrees, "You couldn't. In fact actually in your hands that sentence would probably be butchered to the high heavens. Cheeky is far from your forte."

"Hey!" the man responds in irritation. "That was really harsh!"

Annie ignores the wavy haired man and turns back to Elliot. "I need to talk to Gil alone for a bit, so I'll hang out with you a little later, kay?" she says to the boy gently, "Could you please hop on out for a bit?"

Elliot sighs. "Okay," he mumbles as he jumps off his chair and shuffles out of the room.

Gil's eyes follow Elliot to the door and then he looks back to Annie. "You know, I never expected you to be good with kids," he says in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the mood. The girl stands up and looks at him solemnly. "What?" he asks in a clueless manner.

Annie crosses her arms. "You need to take this situation more seriously," she says sternly.

"But—"

"No buts! He's your brother, not mine. And though I may not like Vincent very much, I understand how he feels to a slight point."

"What do you—"  
"He thinks I'm gonna take you away from him, and he's afraid because as of now you're all he has."

"I'm not proud of that fact, you know," Gil points out.

"When you get back," Annie pokes Gil the chest, "you are gonna do everything in your power to help me fix this problem. In the meantime, I'll tend to Vincent's unstable emotional state, capiche?"

The man sighs. "How can you do this to me?" he whines.

"Do what?" Annie asks in a confused tone.

Gil pauses for a bit and looks away from Annie, then he looks back and puts his hand under her chin. "You may think I should be worried about Vincent, but I'm a thousand times more worried about you," he whispers.

"But I took his scissors," Annie reminds him.

Gil chuckles dryly. "You think that's enough to keep him at bay?" he asks quietly. In a swift motion, Gil pulls Annie into his arms and holds her head in his right hand. "I've been with Vincent four years longer than you, Annie," he whispers into her ear, "I think I have a firm grasp on how he works."

"G-Gil…?" the girl stutters as he presses her firmly against his chest.

"I don't want to lose you," Gil murmurs, "But I know you're going to follow through with this even if I beg you not to. So please be careful."

"I'll be fine," Annie assures him with a trembling tone. She squirms a bit in his arms, her heart pounding madly as she is pulled tightly into his chest. Gil can feel the heat emanating from her cheeks as his mouth hovers millimeters away from her ear.

"One more thing, Annie," Gil continues, "When you go to see Vincent today, tell him that if anything happens to you—anything at all—" he pulls Annie to him and brings his mouth even closer to her ear, "then I will never forgive him." Gil releases Annie from his arms, and the he held her head in slides around to brush against her cheek.

"I'll make sure to come back alive, okay?" he smiles gently. Gil's fingers leave Annie's cheek, and she nods weakly in response. Gil turns and walks out of the room, leaving Annie dazed and frozen where she stands.

* * *

Annie sits in an armchair by Vincent's bedside and watches him sleep. Her heart is still pounding and Gil's words are still ringing in her ears. She blushes bright red, rubbing her hands over the goose bumps that have refused to leave her arms for the past six hours, ever since Gil… Annie blushes an even brighter red. She can't even think about Gil's… hug… without freaking out about it. Vincent begins to stir in his bed and she tries desperately to compose herself.

He opens his eyes to look at Annie, and ultimately seems surprised by what he sees. "Wow," he says with a tone of drowsy cynicism, "I had expected you to be sitting there when I woke up, but I half expected to see you in a borrowed Pandora uniform complete with a whip. Instead you look like a girl who just got kissed by the hottest man alive."

Annie blushes brighter. "God has blessed you with incredible insight, Vincent," she mumbles.

Vincent face gains a look of fear. "Wait a second, he didn't…" Vincent jolts out of his bed and begins shaking Annie. "Please don't say that my brother kissed you!"

"Uh… um…" she blushes an even darker shade, and Vincent seems to think of this as an answer to his question.

"Oh no!" Vincent wails dramatically as he slumps onto the floor and slams his face into his bed. "I've officially lost him to a flat chested girl with anger issues!" he mumbles. He lifts his head up drearily. "You're such a whore," he whines.

The blush on Annie's cheeks abruptly leaves and she frowns at Vincent. "Now you, my dear, have absolutely no grounds to say that," Annie says sternly. "Have you entirely forgotten who's proudly slept with most of the young noble women in the country? I'm surprised you don't have herpes, syphilis and AIDs all at once."

"I don't even know what half of those things are," Vincent whines.

"I'm not surprised," Annie replies bluntly, "And he didn't kiss me, he…" she blushes again, "hugged me."

Vincent stops wailing abruptly and looks at Annie in confusion. "Just a hug?" he inquires. Annie blushes and weakly. "Wow," Vincent says nonchalantly as he stands up. "You're a virgin if I ever met one."

"Well if I'm a virgin then at least I'm not a whore," Annie retorts.

"In your case it's both," Vincent hisses. He fidgets a little bit and looks around his room. "I need to cut something," he mumbles to himself as he walks over to his desk. He looks over it and fishes through the drawers. "Where are my scissors?" he asks in confusion.

"I stole them," Annie answers calmly.

Vincent looks at Annie in annoyance. He goes over to her and calmly grabs her by the collar. "Give them back," he says quietly with a hint of venom in his voice.

"Did I mention," Annie says nonchalantly, "that Gilbert said he would never forgive you if you hurt me?" Vincent's expression changes to a dumbfounded look and he drops Annie as he slumps to the floor again. "So I guess you have no choice but to comply?" Annie asks triumphantly.

"I am at your command," Vincent says miserably.

"Great!" she smiles, "We're gonna play a game."

"What kind of game?" Vincent asks suspiciously.

Annie puts on an impish grin, "Hide and seek."

_A/N: I would say that's a decent stopping point for now… so a couple of things I need to discuss with you, so please __**READ THIS! **__I'm aware that not all of you will, but you should. Anywho, so I have an excuse of sorts as to why this story is not being updated on a regular basis…_

_ Annie: Dammit, Peeves, finish your crap!_

_I WILL! Gosh darn it… anywho, my basic reason for not updating very often is because I'm in the process of writing a novel. So I'm a little caught up with that as far as time goes [and also with the multitude of beta reads people have requested of me on fictionpress and noveljoy]. So if you like fiction as much as fanfiction, or even just like my sense of humor :D I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd give the posted chapters of my novel a look-see. They're posted on fictionpress dot com as A Dreamgiver's Tale by Melody Hallows. It's not a romance like this, just so you know ahead of time. It's fantasy adventure. _

_Also regarding this little thing called Pandora Hearts: Hmm… After next chapter I am switching to past tense verbs. The present tense is __killing me__. Also after next chapter, there will be no POV switches mid-chapter, different characters will get different chapters. So… look forward to next chapter, and hopefully I'll update soon. :)_

_P.S.-Vanessa will show up next chapter. Afraid I ran out the total length before I could add her in :/_


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